Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly is receiving plenty of criticism for the way the club has floundered since his takeover in 2022. Specifically, Boehly’s transfers have received the most scrutiny, as the American businessman’s moves have not panned out the way supporters would have liked.
Former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara had some harsh words for the American. In particular, the 37-year-old expressed his displeasure with how Boehly has gone about his business with Chelsea and how the team has struggled during his tenure.
“I’m gonna go for a whole football club and I’m gonna go for Chelsea,” the former midfielder told talkSPORT. “Chelsea have been the flop of the year. It is not bitterness at all it is a fact. They have gone and spent a billion pounds, brought in 30 players and they are absolutely abysmal.
“Todd Boehly’s come in and made a complete mess of it. Graham Potter and his whole backroom staff were brought in and had to pay them a fortune to go. Then he’s had Frank Lampard come in, an absolute disaster.”
In Roman Abramovich’s final year in charge, Chelsea finished third in the Premier League, behind only Liverpool and Manchester United. Since Boehly’s takeover in 2022, Chelsea finished 12th last season, after winning six of their first 11 matches of the season they could add just five more victories from the remaining 27 fixtures.
Last season’s lacklustre results was even tougher to digest considering Chelsea spent more than £250million – more than any club in Premier League history – on signing players like Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and others. Along with signing players who did not make the sort of impact Boehly would have liked, the American co-owner also had a contentious relationship with his managers.
Boehly sacked Thomas Tuchel and then replaced him with Potter in September 2022. Potter also was sacked in April 2023, as the club sat in 11th in the table, who was then replaced by Lampard.
In hopes of stabilising the ship, Boehly tabbed Mauricio Pochettino to lead the club. The American brought in Moises Caicedo, Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Robert Sanchez, Cole Palmer, Romeo Lavia and others to help bring glory to the floundering squad.
This season, the Blues are currently 10th in the table, having won only seven matches thus far, losing eight while drawing four times. With the January transfer window fast approaching, it has been rumoured that Chelsea will attach a hefty price tag to midfielder Conor Gallagher in hopes of getting more spending money for the club.
What’s more, Pochettino has pleaded with Boehly to be given the authority to sign older, more experienced players as a way to help the younger players gel better and understand how to play winning football.
If Chelsea are to get back to its winning ways, Pochettino and Boehly will have to be on the same page, as the January transfer window could be one of the most important in recent history for the club’s prospects of being successful this season.
With the club having already shown a preference on which players Chelsea should approach, it’s up to Boehly to make the right decisions. If not, the American and the club will continue to get derided for its expensive signings and lack of success to show for it.
