LONDON —
Chelsea have some clarity after an uncertain few months with the consortium led
by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly set to buy the Premier League giants.
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The Boehly group,
which includes fellow Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter, Swiss billionaire Hansjoerg
Wyss and US investment firm Clearlake Capital have committed to a deal worth
£4.25 billion ($5.2 billion), a record for a sports club.
A sum of £1.75
billion is earmarked for future investment in the club with the other £2.5
billion frozen due to the sanctions imposed on current owner Roman Abramovich.
The Russian
oligarch has insisted his intention is for all of the proceeds to be donated to
victims of the war in
Ukraine.
The sale brings to
an end Abramovich’s 19-year reign during which the Blues have enjoyed unparalleled
success.
Chelsea won five
Premier League titles and two Champions League among 19 major trophies.
But the Abramovich
era was brought down by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as he was sanctioned by
the UK government for his links to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
AFP Sport looks at
the job that lies ahead for the future Chelsea owners.
Stadium redevelopment
The bulk of the future
financial commitment to the club is expected to go on redeveloping
Stamford Bridge into a stadium worthy of one of Europe’s elite clubs.
Abramovich shelved plans for a £1 billion
redevelopment in 2018 during another dispute with the UK government over his
visa.
Stamford Bridge’s 42,000 capacity lags well behind
Premier League rivals Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal
and Tottenham.
Spurs’ £1 billion home, completed in 2019, has
become a sporting hub in the English capital, hosting major boxing, rugby and
NFL events, as well as concerts and conferences.
Boehly’s track record of both sporting success and
stadium redevelopment at the Dodgers gave his bid credibility to go with the
major funding behind it.
Investment in the stadium was reportedly a key part
of the consortium’s pitch to American bank Raine, who oversaw the sales
process.
A larger ground will also be part of the long-term
strategy to drive revenue and recoup their huge outlay to buy the
European champions.
Stabilize the squad
Chelsea have been operating
under a special licence for the past two months since sanctions were levied on
Abramovich.
Due to the
restrictions applied, the Blues were not allowed to offer new contracts or sign
new players.
Defenders Antonio Rudiger and
Andreas Christensen are set to leave on free transfers at the end of the season and will need to be
replaced.
Abramovich’s lavish spending means he leaves behind
a very competitive squad.
Just a year ago, Chelsea beat Manchester City to win
the Champions League and are on course to finish in the Premier League top
four.
With clarity over their future, the club can now
work toward assembling a squad to challenge City and
Liverpool for the title
next season.
“When the situation is clear you can take actions,
make judgements,” said Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel on Friday.
Get fan support
Much to the dismay of politicians,
Abramovich’s name was still chanted by Chelsea fans following the sanctions
thanks to the success he had bankrolled over the past two decades.
Winning will be the quickest way into the hearts of
the Chelsea faithful for the new ownership, but there are other pitfalls to be
avoided.
There are fears that to see a return on their
investment, the deeply unpopular European Super League could be revived for the
guaranteed income it sought to provide.
Fans have also taken issue with American ownership
of other Premier League clubs.
Protests have been a common occurrence outside Old
Trafford this season with
Manchester United supporters furious at the dividends
taken out of the club by the Glazer family during a decade of decline.
Fenway Sports Group have enjoyed much greater success
reviving the fortunes of Liverpool, but have also been pressured into
climbdowns on ticket prices and signing up to the Super League by fan fury.
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