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Chelsea owners vow to compete for major trophies after Boehly sale

·By Paul Vegas
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Chelsea owners vow to compete for major trophies after Boehly sale

Chelsea/X.com

Chelsea's owners have declared their ambition to compete for the Premier League and other major trophies, in their first public statement since the departures of Todd Boehly and Mark Walter as shareholders.

It was confirmed on Wednesday night that Boehly and Walter had completed the sale of their respective stakes in the club to majority owner Clearlake Capital, jointly run by Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano. Hansjörg Wyss, the third member of the original 2022 buying consortium, was not part of the sale and "will remain an important stakeholder and partner in the ownership group," according to the Standard.

In a statement issued on Thursday morning, Chelsea's ownership group said: "Yesterday marked an important milestone and the beginning of the next chapter for Chelsea. We thank our departing partners and are grateful for their contributions to the club.

"We move forward with a shared sense of purpose, clear direction and confidence in what comes next. Our ambition is clear: to compete at the highest level, to win major trophies, and to build sustained success."

The statement went on to address the club's supporters directly. "Chelsea FC supporters are the heart of this club and have been its true custodians for over 120 years. While we have the responsibility of ownership, this will always be your club. We are committed to listening, and building a Chelsea you can be proud of, on and off the pitch.

"Success on the pitch will always be our first priority. That means competing to win the Premier League and other major trophies and strengthening the club commercially so that we can invest consistently in the team. We will also maintain our focus on Chelsea's future infrastructure — investing thoughtfully and pursuing the right long-term solutions for generations to come."

It closed with a pledge that mixed confidence with caution.

"We are ambitious about what Chelsea can achieve, and equally conscious of the responsibility that comes with leading this great club... We will keep working to move Chelsea forward — together. Chelsea Ownership."

Boehly, who also steps down as club chairman, ends a four-year association with Chelsea a year earlier than he had originally planned.

"It has been an honour to serve as Chairman of Chelsea Football Club," he 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. I am confident that Chelsea is well positioned for continued success under Clearlake's leadership."