Chelsea have today confirmed the long-awaited news that the club has been taken over by a consortium led by Todd Boehly.
The Blues have been searching for new owners since Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the British government for his alleged links to Vladimir Putin over the invasion of Ukraine.
And, in that time, a consortium led by Todd Boehly has emerged as the next suitor, with a takeover finally happening for upwards of £4bn for the west London outfit.
It makes Chelsea the most expensive club ever to be sold across any sport, and will see the Blues usher in a new era.
What the Blues said
In a statement, the club wrote:
'The consortium led by Todd Boehly, chairman and CEO of Eldridge, and Clearlake Capital Group, L.P. (together with its affiliates, “Clearlake”), today announced completion of the ownership transfer of Chelsea Football Club (“Chelsea FC” or “the Club”). The consortium also includes Hansjörg Wyss, founder of the Wyss Foundation, and Mark Walter, co-founder and CEO of Guggenheim Capital. Walter and Boehly are owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Los Angeles Sparks. The transaction has received all necessary approvals from The Government of the United Kingdom, The Premier League, and other authorities.
Under the terms of the agreement, Boehly and Clearlake will share joint control and equal governance of the Club. Boehly will serve as Chairman of the holding company.'
Meanwhile, Boehly added:
“We are honoured to become the new custodians of Chelsea Football Club”
“We’re all in – 100% -- every minute of every match. Our vision as owners is clear: we want to make the fans proud. Along with our commitment to developing the youth squad and acquiring the best talent, our plan of action is to invest in the Club for the long-term and build on Chelsea’s remarkable history of success."
"I personally want to thank ministers and officials in the British government, and the Premier League, for all their work in making this happen.”