Behdad Eghbali and his Clearlake Capital group have completed a deal to purchase Todd Boehly's minority stake in Chelsea Football Club, giving Clearlake full control of the Premier League side. Mark Walter also sold his shares as part of the transaction, which is reportedly valued at approximately £1 billion.
Hansjorg Wyss, another minority owner, will retain his shares and remain a partner in the ownership group. The deal concludes a period of ongoing sales processes that began last week.
Chelsea confirmed the ownership change in a statement, noting that affiliates of Clearlake Capital Group would acquire Boehly's interest. The club also stated that Clearlake would purchase Walter's ownership stake, thereby assuming full control. The statement indicated that Wyss would continue as an important stakeholder.
Clearlake Capital financed the purchase, with Eghbali and Jose E Feliciano reportedly making significant investments. The ownership group, initially formed in 2022, had jointly acquired Chelsea. At that time, Boehly, Walter, and Wyss held a collective 38.5 percent stake, with Clearlake holding the remaining 61.5 percent.
According to the club's statement, the joint ownership has made substantial investments across the men's and women's teams, training facilities, medical resources, and academy development. Boehly will step down as chairman, with Chelsea stating the club is well-positioned for its next phase of development under Clearlake's leadership.
Boehly expressed that it was an honor to serve as chairman and that he valued his partnership with Clearlake and the wider ownership group. He stated his confidence in Chelsea's continued success under Clearlake's guidance.
While Boehly was the public face of the 2022 takeover, Eghbali has been more actively involved in the day-to-day operations, often liaising with the sporting directorate and attending matches. Reports have suggested a strained relationship between Boehly and Eghbali, with speculation about a buyout occurring for the past two years.
The consortium originally purchased Chelsea for £2.5 billion in 2022, with an additional £1.75 billion committed to future investment in the club. Boehly and Walter are expected to make a modest profit on their initial investment.