Boehly warned he could ‘kill’ Chelsea as daring new plan blasted by former star

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has been told he might relegate or even ‘kill’ the club by trying to kickstart a multi-club model like the City Football Group.

Boehly has initiated incredibly ambitious plans since helping a consortium buy Chelsea in May 2022. Under his guidance, Chelsea have spent way more than £1billion on new players, completely transforming the squad with a host of young talents joining.

Boehly and his fellow Chelsea chiefs also promised that the club would put its faith in a long-term project. But that has not happened, with highly rated managers such as Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino being sacked after failing to achieve success quick enough.

Despite spending so heavily in the transfer market, Chelsea have finished 12th and sixth in the Premier League over the last two seasons, while also losing in this year’s League Cup final to Liverpool.

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Not only is Boehly coming under scrutiny for Chelsea’s performances on the pitch, he is also being criticised for his decision to try and usher in a multi-club model, just like what Manchester City’s owners have done.

The fans of French club Strasbourg are very worried about simply becoming a stepping stone for Chelsea, having been purchased by Boehly’s BlueCo consortium.

French World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf, who represented both Chelsea and Strasbourg during his playing days, has ripped into Boehly and BlueCo, stating that both clubs are at risk of dropping down the leagues.

“For me it raises a big deontological [ethical] problem. When you see that Manchester City and Girona are the same and if they play each other in the Champions League – well they can’t play each other – Girona would be out of the Champions League. It’s not normal and it’s something that I don’t understand,” he told GFFN.

Chelsea latest: Todd Boehly plan torn to shreds

“But there you go, it’s the new system, it’s a financial issue. I think it’s good that Chelsea is close to Strasbourg to help them out financially. But when you’re not close to a club you can’t give your opinion – you don’t know the region, and you don’t know how football works there.

“Strasbourg is known as ‘little Marseille’. The club belongs to the locals, it’s their club. It would be like asking Newcastle to do whatever Chelsea want.

“You can put money in, no problem, but you can’t be the one making decisions if you don’t know the region, you don’t know how it works.

“So you need to be really careful because the fans are sceptical, they’re disappointed for the moment because they’re not seeing anything happen. And you get the impression that Chelsea are transferring their issues on to Strasbourg.

“No players of experience, only youngsters, only trading business, all about the future and nothing for the present.

“And that raises issues for me, as neither at Strasbourg nor at Chelsea, will it work for me. I don’t believe in it.

Blues and Strasbourg both at risk

“I think it could kill Chelsea, it could also lead Strasbourg towards a slow death.

“It can bring money in but at some point you need results and if it’s to end up in Ligue 2, or in the Championship for Chelsea, then it won’t do.”

The former defender also questioned why deals between clubs owned by the same group are allowed to happen. He questioned Savio’s impending transfer from Troyes to City.

The Brazilian winger signed for Troyes – who are owned by the City Football Group – in July 2022 but never actually made an appearance for them as he had loan spells at PSV and Girona, with the latter also being part of the same ownership conglomerate.

Savio earned a fantastic reputation at Girona and is now poised to join City.

While Troyes will earn good money from the 20-year-old’s sale, they never actually benefitted on the pitch by having him play for them.

When asked about this, Leboeuf replied: “Yes, well that’s the system and maybe those in charge at Troyes shouldn’t have accepted it, but then they needed the money.

“That’s the problem – money. And we have the issue with Ligue 1 and TV rights [too].”

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