Because of his ‘long relationship’ with Tottenham, Jonathan Goldstein, a major part of Todd Boehly’s group that bought Chelsea, will not be joining the board. The businessman has been mentioned as a possible successor to Blues chairman Bruce Buck, but Boehly is poised to keep him on.
Boehly’s team was designated preferred bidders and granted the green light to complete a £4.25 billion buyout of Chelsea last week after an exhaustive bidding process. The Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner, who collaborated with Goldstein, fellow Dodgers owner Mark Walter, and Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, among others, is expected to seal the deal for the Londoners by the end of the month.
Despite the fact that the purchase is still subject to government and Premier League clearance, details about the club’s prospective new hierarchy have emerged this week, with The Times reporting that Goldstein was evaluated as a possible Buck successor. Goldstein, a long-time Tottenham season ticket holder, would like to collaborate with Boehly rather than sit on the board.
According to one source, the purchase of Chelsea “would not have occurred” without Goldstein, who is still anticipated to play a key part in the stadium’s reconstruction.
The group beat off fierce competition to forward their Blues plan, including a last-minute approach from British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
On Saturday, Boehly was sighted entering Stamford Bridge, less than 24 hours after signing a contract to buy the club from Roman Abramovich. The American billionaire was present when the Blues were held to a 2-2 draw by the Wolves.
Blues manager Thomas Tuchel said after the game on the news that the club’s long-term future was on the verge of being assured after weeks of uncertainty.
After Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government in March, the Londoners were forced to operate under a special sports license, but the restrictions of the license prevented the team from operating regularly. The constraints have even prohibited the Blues from reaching out to players like Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, who are both set to become free agents at the conclusion of the season.
Tuchel expressed his aspirations for a return to normalcy now that the turbulence is finally coming to a conclusion. “It offers us a perspective that terms have been negotiated,” the German stated when questioned about the transaction. Hopefully, the process will be shortened and moved ahead as quickly as possible, allowing us to act without fear of being sanctioned. It’s fantastic news.”
