Chelsea plunged into 'civil war' chaos as Todd Boehly ownership situation takes fresh twist

Chelsea’s ownership situation has taken a fresh twist with the club reportedly on the verge of a ‘civil war’ in the boardroom.

Reports emerged on Friday evening that Chelsea’s main shareholders were ‘exploring their options’ after just two years in charge of the club.

California-based private equity firm Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly led a consortium who completed a takeover of the London club from Roman Abramovich for a reported fee of £4.2billion.

After a frantic summer transfer window, Bloomberg reported relations between Clearlake and Boehly had deteriorated to a point where both parties are attempting to buy each other out.

Despite the rift, both Clearlake and Boehly are said to be totally committed to the club and working together in a professional manner but a new report from The Telegraph has shed new light on the club’s current situation.

Boehly and his partners are said to have the resources to fund a full takeover of the club but Clearlake are adamant they will NOT sell any shares.

Boehly is reportedly ready to raise over £2.5bn which would represent a profit for Chelsea’s majority shareholder.

Clearlake view their investment in Chelsea as a decade-plus commitment whereas Boehly sees his vision for the London club over a 20 to 30-year period.

Both parties are eager to increase their stake in the club and there is said to be no prospect of Boehly selling his stake alone to Clearlake meaning Hansjorg Wyss and Mark Walter, who own 38.5% alongside Boehly, would also need to be bought out for a profit.

There is a power struggle at Chelsea (Getty)

Furthermore, Clearlake and Boehly both have matching rights and blocking options if either side put their stake up for sale.

The report adds if nothing changes in the ownership situation, there is a danger of a civil war breaking out that could be incredibly damaging for the Blues on and off the pitch.

While the relationship currently remains professional, there are differences between the stakeholders over the direction and culture of the club that are viewed as irreconcilable.

Chelsea have spent over £1bn in the transfer market since the takeover in 2022, with five different managers taking charge in that timeframe.

SPORTbible have reached out to Chelsea FC for comment.