The consortium BlueCo, which bought Chelsea last year, have agreed to take over as the new owners of French Ligue 1 club Strasbourg.
The French club have narrowly avoided relegation from Ligue 1, with an eight-point run in their final five games keeping them in the top flight.
While Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital were looking for a new club, this development increased the pressure on them to reach an agreement with Strasbourg.
Although it appeared at one point that Boehly and Clearlake would settle for a smaller ownership in the club, it has since been widely reported that they currently own ‘near’ to a 100% stake in Le Racing.
According to the Guardian, Chelsea is spending around £65m to acquire the Eastern French club in what might be the first of many such deals in the coming years.
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BlueCo said in a statement, “It is an honor for us to be a part of this historic club.We are committed to preserving the heritage of Racing and are focused on working closely with Marc (Keller, president) 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.”
Marc Keller will remain as president, and Chelsea will theoretically be able to send academy and squad players to improve their development.
That would follow the Manchester City model, with teams like Troyes and Girona becoming a part of the 12-club “City Football Group.”
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