Furious Strasbourg ultras tell Todd Boehly he is ‘NOT welcome’ after the Chelsea owner bought a majority stake in the Ligue 1 club for £65m – as they look to mirror Man City’s multi-club network
Sections of Strasbourg ultras have demonstrated their displeasure with Chelsea owner Todd Boehly after the Blues purchased a majority stake in the Ligue 1 side.
On Thursday it was announced that Chelsea had completed their £65million takeover of the French outfit as the English giants take a first step towards achieving their multi-club model.
The Boehly and Clearlake Capital Consortium also looked at other clubs including some of Strasbourg’s French rivals before making their decision to press ahead in a deal for Ligue 1’s 15th-placed finishers.
Chelsea are aiming to replicate the same approach as Manchester City who currently boast a worldwide portfolio of 13 teams in their ownership model.
However, some Strasbourg supporters have made it clear they want no part in Boehly and Co’s plans with pictures appearing on social media showing signs held aloft in protest.
Strasbourg could be set to benefit from renewed investment after Chelsea completed a majority takeover of the club
Todd Boehly has led the charge for Chelsea’s plans to adopt a multi-club approach
One makeshift banner read: ‘Boehly not welcome’ in huge red letters and signalling a clear message that they are unhappy with the Chelsea owner’s role within their club.
Marc Keller will retain his position as Strasbourg president and the club will run independently from Chelsea, however, there is remaining concern amongst sections of the fanbase.
There is reason for optimism with Strasbourg now in a position to benefit from the riches that have so far been spent at Chelsea under Boehly and Clearlake’s reign.
Le Racing have finished in the top 10 of Ligue 1 just once in the previous six seasons, but have renewed hopes of becoming a competing top eight side with new owners at the helm.
Upon completion of their takeover, Boehly’s BlueCo group, said: ‘It is an honour for us to be part of this historic club.
Strasbourg ultras displayed a sign that read ‘Boehly not welcome’ after Chelsea’s investment in the club
But some sections of Strasbourg supporters are unhappy with the club’s takeover
‘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.’
Boehly had previously stressed his ambitions for a multi-club model and speaking in September said: ‘We’ve talked about having a multi-club model. I would love to continue to build out the footprint. There are different countries where there are advantages to having a club.
‘Our goal is to ensure pathways for our young stars to get on to the Chelsea pitch while getting them real game time. To do that is through another club in a really competitive league in Europe.’
