Boehly and Walter in ‘advanced talks’ to sell Chelsea stakes with ‘agreement close’

Todd Boehly and Mark Walter are in ‘advanced talks’ to sell their stakes in Chelsea to Clearlake Capital, with the duo set to accept less than their initial valuation, per reports.

Boehly, Walter, Hansjorg Wyss and Clearlake Capital – a consortium which later became known as BlueCo – purchased the football club back in 2022.

There has been talk of Boehly and Walter selling their stakes for some time, and now TalkSPORT report that duo and Clearlake Capital are ‘close to reaching an agreement’, with the club valuation said to be ‘below the £5billion Boehly and Walter originally wanted.’

However, the report notes that ‘a profit on the £2.35bn valuation the consortium collectively paid in 2022’ will be made.

Boehly and Walter currently own around 26 per cent of Chelsea, and the sale will bring Clearlake’s from 61.5 per cent to over 85 per cent.

The intentions of Wyss, the other Chelsea owner, are ‘currently unclear,’ the report adds.

READ NEXT – Chelsea elbow Man Utd aside in race to sign Barcelona star in January – report

Boehly, meanwhile, is set to step down as Chelsea chair at the end of this season as part of a ‘pre-agreed plan’ when the consortium bought the club for £2.3bn.

Boehly hinted last year that he could depart Chelsea, and now that looks set to happen.

“We have to think long-term about what we’re trying to accomplish,” Boehly said in an interview with Bloomberg. “We have a big stadium development opportunity that we have to flesh out.

“That’s going to be where we’re either aligned or we ultimately decide to go different ways.”

The building of a new stadium, whether at a proposed new site at Earl’s Court or building on Stamford Bridge, remains a priority for the club.

READ MORE – Chelsea interest in Fulham star revealed but BlueCo switch focus to brilliant Bournemouth maestro