An official statement from RC Strasbourg has confirmed a takeover from Chelsea's owners Boehly-Clearlake this summer, kickstarting plans for a multi-club model. Todd Boehly and his investors have been looking for a suitable location and club to purchase the majority shares for as part of aiming for a sustainable future.
A statement from the French club reads: "The shareholders of Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace today announced an agreement with BlueCo, the consortium which purchased Chelsea FC in May 2022. The agreement would mark a new chapter in Racing’s history as the ownership consortium commits to accelerate sustainable investment in the club’s growth, including in the first teams and in the Academy, in continuity with the project implemented by Marc Keller, who would remain President of the club, supported by his current management team.
"This is an important day for Racing," declared Marc Keller, President of the Strasbourg club. "It’s something my shareholder friends and I have been thinking about for the past two years. We’ve built a club that’s healthy at every level and well managed. Although there was no financial urgency, we were aware that we had reached the ceiling of our model, and if we wanted to continue driving Racing forward and projecting it into a new dimension, we necessarily needed to be accompanied by a solid structure capable of supporting our development and our ambition. I am therefore delighted of the perspective to welcome a new strategic investor, with whom we would accelerate the club’s ambition to build the Racing of tomorrow."
"The BlueCo shareholders declared: "It is an honour for us to be part of this historic club. We are committed to preserving the heritage of Racing and are focused on working closely with Marc and his management team to continue the excellent work they have been doing. This strategic investment would further our presence in European football, alongside our ownership of Chelsea. We believe it would create huge opportunities to share knowledge and expertise."
The move towards a multi-club model could see Chelsea loan out players to Strasbourg for both experience and work permit reasons in the future. The implementation of clubs could also see players bought to be moved up the levels towards being ready for Premier League football, a model that is seen at the Red Bull and City Football Group systems.
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It's a move that hasn't been taken to kindly from the Strasbourg fans though, who have banners that are against the takeover itself. It brings up the moral dilemma of changing a club completely in the aid of a bigger project, potentially disregarding their place in the wide picture.
