'We don’t want Chelsea’s incompetence' - Strasbourg fans SLAM Boehly’s transfer policy
Cameron Smith
- 12 Oct 2023 07:10 BST
- 4 min read
Strasbourg fans are furious at Chelsea owner Todd Boehly following his takeover of the club earlier this year.
The American billionaire purchased the Ligue 1 side back in June as he looks to build a multi-club model in Europe to go alongside Chelsea.
Several Blues youngsters were linked with a move to Strasbourg and Chelsea’s pursuit of Elye Wahi relied almost entirely upon the premise he would join Strasbourg on loan first.
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Wahi was not keen on such a sideways step and instead joined Champions League side RC Lens, who beat Arsenal last week thanks to a goal and an assist from Wahi.
Strasbourg currently sit 11th in Ligue 1 with 10 points in eight games, and they have only won once in their past four league matches.
BlueCo consortium, Boehly’s company, have been heavily criticised by Strasbourg supporters in an open letter to club president Marc Keller.
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The Fédération Supporters RCS’s letter read, as per The Daily Mail: “Following BlueCo’s purchase, the 2023 summer transfer window is our first element of analysis and our first major worry.
“The exclusive recruitment of very young players – not yet operational and potentially weakened by their over-exposition, combined with the absence of arrivals of more mature players, exposes the club to a sporting risk from which the owners should have better protected us.
“BlueCo’s imposition of an obligation to buy only very young hopefuls is senseless on a sporting level and the fans don’t relate to their team at the moment.
“The supporters that maintained that, since the purchase of Racing, we are only a training centre and a secondary piece in a global business, have gained credit following this transfer window, which seems far from the announced ambition.”
The letter continued: "Money without competence doesn’t lead to anything good, and the example of Chelsea, our so-called ‘big brother’, who have spent a lot of money but have had a vertical fall down the English hierarchy, is an important reference point.
"We don’t want to incompetence that reigns at Chelsea at RCSA. Neither directly, nor indirectly.
"Beyond the Strasbourg case, we wish to also remind you that multi-club ownership is a danger to football.
"The pyramid system that this system is slowly locking into place, and even more strongly than was already the case, risks reducing the majority of clubs to a simple objective of developing young players and helping the few clubs at the top of the pyramid in order to yield a profit for their business.
"Clearly, it is a very worrying perspective."
Chelsea and Strasbourg’s youth recruitment
Chelsea’s transfer strategy since Boehly’s arrival has very much been in the mould of signing future stars.
The Blues have launched ‘Project 2030’ and have given Neil Bath a starring role in their recruitment. As a result, no player under the age of 26 was signed by either Chelsea or Strasbourg this summer.
