Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali has signalled a shift in the club’s recruitment strategy toward more experienced, ready-made players and confirmed that the exit of former head coach Enzo Maresca was not a change the ownership wanted to make.
Speaking at the CAA World Congress of Sports in Los Angeles, Eghbali — co-founder of Clearlake Capital, the majority investor in BlueCo which owns Chelsea and Strasbourg — discussed the current situation under interim head coach Liam Rosenior, the transfer policy and the disruption caused by Maresca’s sudden departure on New Year’s Day.
Chelsea sit four points behind fifth-placed Liverpool and face a real risk of missing next season’s Champions League after winning only once in their last seven league fixtures and losing the last three. Rosenior has struggled to stabilise the side amid the system and personnel changes that followed Maresca’s exit.
Eghbali said the ownership’s preference has been to avoid changing managers during a season, and that Maresca leaving was not a decision they sought. He acknowledged the midseason upheaval had a negative effect, and stressed the club must now fight its way out of the situation. With six Premier League matches remaining and an FA Cup semi-final to come, he insisted the campaign is not over and called for character from the squad.
He highlighted stability as a major priority, particularly continuity in the managerial role, saying that maintaining stability is an area the club has not yet got right and is working to improve. Nonetheless, Eghbali expressed confidence in Rosenior, noting that the owners have worked with him closely for about 18 months and believe he possesses the attributes to succeed long term. He conceded recent results have been disappointing but reiterated the ownership is behind Rosenior while acknowledging football is ultimately results-driven.
On recruitment, Eghbali reflected on Chelsea’s earlier emphasis on youth and development but indicated the next phase will include signing more established players to accelerate progress. He described the club’s programme as still in the early-to-mid stages and said the aim remains to assemble and keep a core group of world-class players. To sustain success, he said clubs need a substantial nucleus of elite performers — eight to 15 players — and Chelsea will look to add more ready-made talent to reach the next level and deliver consistency.
Eghbali also addressed fan frustration and planned protests, stressing BlueCo’s commitment to improving how they run the club and to restoring a trophy-winning culture in line with Chelsea’s history under previous ownership. He said there has been full reflection on recent shortcomings, and that the owners have a plan they will refine as needed. He was blunt about the objective: success must be measured in wins and trophies, and while setbacks and mistakes are inevitable, the ambition remains to win consistently.
In summary, Eghbali framed the current period as one of adjustment and course correction: backing Rosenior for now, moving toward a more balanced transfer approach that includes seasoned signings, and redoubling efforts to deliver silverware for a demanding fan base.