Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali is 'OBSESSED with player trading'

Cameron Smith

• 9 Sept 2024 17:30 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali is “obsessed with player trading,” according to a source close to Blues chairman Todd Boehly.

The west London club have been extremely active in the transfer market since Clearlake Capital’s arrival in 2022, with over €1.2 billion spent on new signings over the past two years.

In that time, Chelsea have also generated over €500 million through player sales, with Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher among the players to have departed Stamford Bridge since Roman Abramovich’s exit.

READ MORE: Todd Boehly vs Behdad Eghbali: Chelsea's civil war explained

While aforementioned Boehly has often appeared to be the figurehead behind Chelsea’s exorbitant spending, the American billionaire has actually relinquished a large majority of control since stepping down as Sporting Director in 2023.

Instead, Eghbali has been in charge and he has been the driving force behind the Blues’ activity in the transfer market.

However, a rift between Eghbali and Boehly has developed over the past few months and a civil war is now brewing in west London due to three key reasons.

READ MORE: Boehly concerned by Chelsea transfers after being ‘sidelined’ in civil war

Chelsea’s civil war

According to The Athletic, Chelsea’s co-owners are at war due a cultural difference in how the club should operate, the decision to part ways with Mauricio Pochettino, and a lack of progress on a prospective new stadium.

As a result, they are both eager to buy each other out.

While Boehly is keen to hire specialists and allow them to run certain sections of the football club, Eghbali is far more hands-on and is actively involved in the day-to-day operations at Cobham.

As per The Athletic, a source close to Boehly has described Eghbali as “obsessed with player trading,” while he is considered to have taken on a micromanaging role.

Chelsea have signed 40 new players since Clearlake Capital’s arrival, while 37 first-team stars have departed during that time; a turnover of players that has simply never been seen before.