Chelsea Chairman Todd Boehly and Co-Owner Mark Walter in Talks to Sell Stakes to Clearlake Capital
Chelsea Football Club chairman Todd Boehly and fellow shareholder Mark Walter are reportedly engaged in talks to sell their respective ownership stakes in the Premier League club to majority owner Clearlake Capital, according to a report by the Financial Times citing people briefed on the matter. A potential deal, should it materialise, could value the London club at more than five billion pounds and would mark a significant restructuring of Chelsea’s ownership just four years after the current consortium completed its takeover of the club.
According to the Financial Times report, Boehly and Walter have held discussions around selling their respective 12.8 percent holdings in Chelsea, interests that together represent a substantial portion of the club’s minority ownership structure. Clearlake Capital currently holds approximately 61.5 percent of Chelsea, with the remaining 38.5 percent divided equally among Boehly, Walter and Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss. Should the reported talks culminate in a completed transaction, Clearlake would significantly consolidate its control over the club, potentially assuming near total decision-making authority over Chelsea’s operations and strategic direction going forward.
The consortium originally acquired Chelsea for approximately 2.5 billion pounds in 2022, following the forced sale of the club by Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich after sanctions were imposed on him in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Since completing that acquisition, tensions have periodically emerged between Boehly and Walter’s side of the ownership group and Clearlake over various aspects of the club’s overall strategy and direction. Reports indicate that the two sides have engaged in years of on-and-off negotiations regarding a potential restructuring of the ownership arrangement, though it remains uncertain whether the current round of discussions will ultimately result in a finalised agreement.
Under the club’s existing governance structure, Boehly currently serves as co-controlling owner alongside Clearlake co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano, with major decisions at the club requiring approval from all three parties involved. Boehly has continued to serve as chairman of Chelsea and is currently scheduled to retain that position until the conclusion of the 2026-27 season, at which point leadership responsibilities would transition more fully toward Clearlake under existing arrangements agreed at the time of the original takeover.
The renewed talks come at a notable moment for Walter personally, following his recent sale of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers franchise just fourteen months after acquiring it, a decision that has drawn attention amid broader scrutiny of his wider business empire. Reports have indicated that the United States Attorney’s Office and the Securities and Exchange Commission are currently investigating allegations connected to businesses within Walter’s portfolio, developments that may factor into his broader consideration of asset holdings, including his stake in Chelsea.
Representatives for both Boehly and Walter did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the reported discussions, while both Chelsea and Clearlake Capital have declined to comment publicly on the matter. Should a deal eventually be reached, it would represent a further consolidation of ownership power for Clearlake, potentially bringing greater stability to a period marked by ongoing questions surrounding the club’s broader direction, including its recent absence from Champions League football in three of the past four seasons and unresolved plans regarding the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge.
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