Chelsea have completed their first move in building a multi-club network by purchasing French club Strasbourg for £65million.
The size of the stake is currently unknown but it's reported Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital will have close to a 100% ownership. A statement from the Ligue 1 side confirmed the news on Thursday. It read: "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."
However, despite the investment by Chelsea and plans for president Keller to retain his position, sections of Strasbourg supporters have vented their displeasure against the purchase. A series of images have surfaced on social media of ultras holding signs against Boehly's involvement.
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"Boehly, not welcome," one read in huge red letters. A simple message to the US billionaire.
Time will tell whether the investment in the French club, who finished 10th in Ligue 1 last season, will prove worthy. Upon the completion of the deal, Boehly's BlueCo group said: "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."
