Updated 6d ago · Business
Chelsea Owners In Talks to Sell Stakes to Clearlake
Mark Walter and Todd Boehly are in talks to sell their minority stakes in Chelsea FC to Clearlake Capital, according to the Financial Times. No deal has been finalized.
- Clearlake holds 60% of Chelsea and is the club's majority owner.
- £2.5 billion: the price the consortium paid for Chelsea in 2022.
- Walter separately agreed to sell his stake in the Los Angeles Lakers last week.
- The FBI seized Walter's phone and laptop as part of a federal fraud investigation.
Why it matters: Chelsea's ownership group has been divided since the 2022 acquisition. Walter and Boehly have repeatedly clashed with Clearlake and its co-founder Behdad Eghbali over club strategy.
- A completed deal would give Clearlake undivided control of the Premier League club.
How 9 sources split on this story
Source landscape
Factuality
High
Mixed
Low
Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right
Political Bias
Coverage by lean
9 sources · 14 articles · 45% Right coverage
Center3 sources
Left2 sources
Right coverage, 4 sources: The right frames the Chelsea talks primarily through the lens of Walter's legal exposure, portraying the asset sales as a billionaire moving quickly to raise cash amid federal scrutiny.
New York Post1w+Mark Walter's Chelsea sale raises more Dodgers sale red flags
The Sun6dInside breakdown of Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali’s relationship with feuding Chelsea chiefs set to finally split
Daily Mail1w+Todd Boehly open to selling his stake in Chelsea to majority owners Clearlake Capital four years after taking charge - with Mark Walter also considering sale
ZeroHedge1w+"Cash Crunch" Deepens? Mark Walter Explores Chelsea FC Stake Sale To ClearlakeWhat’s next: Sources cited by the Financial Times cautioned that a deal is not yet certain.
- The federal investigation into Walter's business practices remains ongoing.
- What valuation would Clearlake place on the Walter and Boehly stakes?
- Would the federal investigation affect Walter's ability to complete a sale?
- How would sole Clearlake ownership change Chelsea's leadership structure?