We have yet to really hear from David Ornstein of The Athletic on Chelsea’s apparent ownership rift that has been going on in the last couple of weeks, until now.
Every other outlet has had their say on it and has put their info out on what they understand to be the situation, and now Ornstein has put his info out.
EXCL! Clealake could now sell stake in Chelsea, leaving it to Todd Boehly!!
It basically looks like a mess still, but it seems Chelsea are trying to play the whole ‘civil war’ thing down a bit as well though.
What Ornstein has to say
As cited on X, Ornstein, speaking to NBC, says:
“Where the rift really centered, I think, was on the Pochettino departure, the sporting directors decided that they would make a change to his position. Todd Boehly was said to have still supported Pochettino, and it’s maybe sort of broken apart a little bit since then.
“Where does it go from here? Well, I think from speaking to people around the situation, there are two scenarios. The status quo continues, maybe awkwardly, or there is a change in the percentages at ownership level. But all indications are that the majority shareholder, ClearLake Capital, with 61 plus percent, are going to continue in charge, with the sporting directors, with Enzo Maresca as head coach, who they’re very happy with.
“They feel they’ve got the profitability and sustainability situation under control, the signings and sales. They feel they’re in a decent position on the pitch and off the pitch, despite this drama.
“The ownership view is, this is maybe an artificial crisis. They don’t recognize the terminology ‘civil war’. But certainly there’s a rift of sorts, and it needs to be sorted out in one way or the other.”
An “artificial conflict.”
“They don’t recognize the terminology ‘civil war.’”
Did you catch all of that “Chelsea News”? Kind of mirrors what I was saying most of last week! Can we leave off with the hyperbole finally and stop hyperventilating (until or unless something truly war-like happens)?