Keith Wyness reveals what US investors told him about Chelsea’s owners
Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have been heavily scrutinised following their running of the club over the past three years.
The duo have sanctioned more than £1billion of spending on new signings since BlueCo took over at Stamford Bridge in May 2022.
The relationship between Boehly and Eghbali was understood to have deteriorated earlier this season, with the pair reportedly looking to buy each other out.
The takeover talk has gone quiet in recent months as Chelsea go in pursuit of a return to Champions League football for next season.
However, in an interview with Bloomberg on 24 March, Boehly admitted the Chelsea owners could go their separate ways if they can’t agree on the future of Stamford Bridge.
The London giants are considering plans to either leave their existing stadium or expand, with Earl’s Court viewed as a possible location for a new facility.
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – insisted people believe Boehly and Eghbali thought they knew better than everybody else after he’s spoken to several US private equity companies.
Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider Chelsea’s owners will struggle to agree a takeover if they want to recoup the money they have spent.
Chelsea owners to appear in damning case study
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness insisted Chelsea’s owners will likely appear in a case study about how not to run a football club.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “There are lots of different conspiracy theories here about what could be going on, but it doesn’t seem like a happy ship.
“It hasn’t been really for a long time now.
“This is the one flashing light about big US private equity involvement in football that I think will be written about as a case study of how not to do things for years to come.
“I’ve spoken about this to a number of private equity companies in the US and everybody seems to agree that they came over thinking they know better than everybody else.
“I’m afraid it has not panned out quite as well as they’d have hoped.
“Anyway, we’re watching this space, but certainly a fallout over a stadium like this is a bad sign.”
| Club (Stadium) | Capacity |
| Man United (Old Trafford) | 74,197 |
| Tottenham (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium) | 62,850 |
| West Ham (London Stadium) | 62,500 |
| Liverpool (Anfield) | 61,276 |
| Arsenal (Emirates Stadium) | 60,704 |
| Man City (Etihad Stadium) | 52,900 |
| Newcastle (St James’ Park) | 52,258 |
| Aston Villa (Villa Park) | 42,918 |
| Chelsea (Stamford Bridge) | 40,173 |
| Everton (Goodison Park) | 39,572 |
Raheem Sterling wants to agree permanent Chelsea exit
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider Raheem Sterling wants to join another Premier League club as he is “certain” to leave Stamford Bridge.
However, there is currently a lack of interest from top-flight sides following his disappointing loan spell at Arsenal.
Arsenal are concerned about Sterling’s performances, with the 30-year-old registering just one goal and four assists in 23 appearances this season.
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