Chelsea get new owners as Todd Boehly sells stake after four years

Chelsea have new owners after Todd Boehly sold his stake to Clearlake Capital and stepped down as chairman. The change brings an end to Boehly's four-year tenure, while Clearlake now assumes full control of the Premier League club.

In Short

• Clearlake said Chelsea's day-to-day operations, leadership and strategy will remain unchanged
• Boehly thanked the Premier League, staff, players and fans after exit
• Clearlake's founders pledged continued investment in infrastructure, performance and player development

Chelsea have new owners after Todd Boehly sold his stake in the club to Clearlake Capital, bringing his four-year tenure as chairman to an end. The American businessman will leave his position as Clearlake takes full control of the Premier League club.

Chelsea announced the ownership transition on Wednesday, with Boehly and fellow co-owner Mark Walter selling their respective stakes to Clearlake. Speaking after the change was confirmed, Boehly described his time as chairman as an honour and thanked those involved with the club.

“It has been an honour to serve as chairman of Chelsea,” Boehly said. “I would like to thank the many who helped secure a bright future for the club, including the English Premier League, the coaches and players, the talented leadership and staff at Chelsea, and the legions of dedicated fans.”

“I have valued my partnership with Clearlake and the wider ownership group, and the collective decisions and investment we have made to support the immediate and long-term success of the club,” Boehly added. “I am confident that Chelsea is well positioned for continued success under Clearlake’s leadership.”

Boehly, Walter and Swiss billionaire Hansjrg Wyss each held a 12.8% stake in Chelsea, while Clearlake previously owned 61.5%. The latest transactions have given Clearlake full control of the club, although Chelsea said there will be no changes to its day-to-day operations, leadership or strategy.

WHO ARE CHELSEA'S NEW OWNERS?

Clearlake Capital is a US-based private equity firm led by co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano. The firm became Chelsea's majority owner as part of the consortium that bought the club from Roman Abramovich in 2022.

Eghbali and Feliciano described Boehly as an important partner during their time working together at Chelsea and thanked him for his contribution as chairman.

“Boehly will always be a part of the Chelsea story and family,” they said, while adding that their focus would remain on investment in the club’s infrastructure, sporting performance and player development.

END OF THE BOEHLY ERA

Boehly became Chelsea's public face after the £2.3 billion takeover in 2022 and oversaw a period of major spending in the transfer market. The club spent more than £1 billion on players during his time as chairman, while also adopting a recruitment strategy heavily focused on young players and long-term contracts.

Chelsea's highest Premier League finish under the new ownership came in 2024-25, when they finished fourth and also won the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup. They finished 10th last season before appointing Xabi Alonso as manager.

The club have also continued to consider options for Stamford Bridge, including redevelopment or a potential move to a new stadium. Despite Boehly's departure, Chelsea have confirmed that the change in ownership control will not alter the club's immediate day-to-day operations or strategy.

- Ends