Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has launched a blistering critique aimed at Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, asserting their culpability in what he perceives as the destruction of the club. Despite an extravagant expenditure exceeding €1 billion on new acquisitions since Roman Abramovich’s departure as owner in 2022, Chelsea suffered a disappointing 12th-place finish in the Premier League last season, and currently languish in 11th position this year.
In the aftermath of Mauricio Pochettino’s side’s inexplicable 2-2 draw against 10-men Burnley, Leboeuf condemned the club’s ownership for their pivotal role in Chelsea’s recent decline. In an impassioned diatribe directed at ESPN, the former Chelsea stalwart vented his frustration with the board’s strategic decisions.
Leboeuf lambasted, “I’m sorry, but the individuals on the board have decimated that club. This is the harsh reality that must be confronted, and how does one begin to reconstruct it? I am uncertain; however, a fundamental shift in mindset is imperative. Cease the obsession with youth development, instead, invest in seasoned professionals during the summer transfer window, or else confront identical dilemmas in the forthcoming season.”
Expressing his profound disillusionment, Leboeuf continued, “I am utterly disheartened. One holds onto hope, believing that change is imminent. You anticipate, ‘Alright, the season is essentially concluded but facing Burnley with an extra man, victory is assured.’ Yet, they falter, nothing materializes.”
Illustrating the frustration stemming from Chelsea’s draw against Burnley, Leboeuf observed, “You lead 1-0 at halftime, only to concede a goal three minutes into the second half. Despite rallying to regain the lead, the subsequent performance is abysmal, as evidenced; they ought to have succumbed, outnumbered as they were.”
Expressing solidarity with the fans and reverence for the club’s legacy, Leboeuf emphasized, “Chelsea Football Club versus, with all due respect, Burnley, signals the nadir. I commend the supporters for their enduring loyalty, bearing witness at Stamford Bridge, but this is unacceptable. It is a disservice to the fans, to the storied history of Chelsea Football Club, and to the former players, myself included.”
In a subsequent development, Boehly is slated to relinquish his role as Chelsea chairman in 2027, pursuant to a prearranged agreement with Clearlake Capital.
