7 hours ago, RMH said:

If I understand it correctly, then Ares will get shares, or something like it, in CFC LDN as repayment for the loan, which they can then retain or sell for whatever. But, if the Club loses value, and it is not an absurd idea given how they've taken a CL winner to a mid-table team, then those 'shares' will not have the value to generate profit if/when they sell. Is this how that would work? (bear in mind that I am not an economist)

The Investors are gambling on the increasing value of the PL and PL clubs driven mostly by increasing broadcast revenues and potential club broadcasting rights. According to Todd we are already valued higher than the price they forked out for us.

" The trend is our friend" was his explanation.

3 hours ago, dermott said:

In case you've forgotten how:

13 hours ago, Munkunku said:

More important: does your beard manoeuvre accomplish its goal?

In last night’s England team were Tomori, Livramento, Madueke, Solanke, Hall plus Guehi in the squad … not good enough for Chelsea but good enough for England? Not sure if this reflects worse on our transfer policy or the standard needed to play for England in 2026!

1 hour ago, OnePeterOsgood said:

In last night’s England team were Tomori, Livramento, Madueke, Solanke, Hall plus Guehi in the squad … not good enough for Chelsea but good enough for England? Not sure if this reflects worse on our transfer policy or the standard needed to play for England in 2026!

I don't think any of those players were forced out due to 'being not good enough', but left in search of more playing time.

3 hours ago, OnePeterOsgood said:

In last night’s England team were Tomori, Livramento, Madueke, Solanke, Hall plus Guehi in the squad … not good enough for Chelsea but good enough for England? Not sure if this reflects worse on our transfer policy or the standard needed to play for England in 2026!

They left for various different reasons, few if any because they weren’t considered good enough.

I don’t know where this ends up. I was optimistic the owners would progress the club, probably more so compared to the final 5 or so years of Roman’s time compared to the early years.

The club appears to be regressing on all fronts. Hard to watch. Reality is for the ownership group we have, Chelsea’s annual expense is a bit of a rounding error (setting aside the initial capital). Hope they keep investing to the content PSR allows - not my money!

8 hours ago, PhilH930 said:

I don’t know where this ends up. I was optimistic the owners would progress the club, probably more so compared to the final 5 or so years of Roman’s time compared to the early years.

The club appears to be regressing on all fronts. Hard to watch. Reality is for the ownership group we have, Chelsea’s annual expense is a bit of a rounding error (setting aside the initial capital). Hope they keep investing to the content PSR allows - not my money!

Its not their money either! It's borrowing that is held in companies linked to our club !

From Bloomberg 2024

The deal for which Clearlake is famous, Chelsea, wasn’t loved by some investors but it’s too early to judge financially. Clearlake had the investment marked at Dec. 31 slightly above what it paid, despite the team reporting a £90.1 million ($115 million) pretax loss last year. Football Benchmark, which provides financial data on clubs, estimates Chelsea is worth £2.8 billion, about £500 million more than what Clearlake splashed out in 2022.

When Clearlake hosted its annual meeting for LPs a few weeks back, it made a surprising choice as star speaker: former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Like him, the buyout industry hit a peak of popularity at the turn of the decade before falling from favor. Getting back to those heights won’t be easy..

Edited March 29Mar 29 by The Rising Sun
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On 27/03/2026 at 23:39, axman2526 said:

Will JP Mogan/bank of America also be taking shares for their 700mill loan in 2027?

No, it's been variously reported as a normal term loan + a revolving credit facility (club can borrow and pay back as it likes, like a credit card). Broadly speaking the JP Morgan money was for operational expenses, and the Ares investment is for "infrastructure".

There's speculation that BlueCo has spent the Ares investment on anything but what it was intended for, but that's speculation.

As above, the real issue is that there isn't any meaningful financial pressure for them to change their ways. The only damage that can be done is reputational. That's why there is so much PR trying to minimise and discredit the protesting.

3 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

No, it's been variously reported as a normal term loan + a revolving credit facility (club can borrow and pay back as it likes, like a credit card). Broadly speaking the JP Morgan money was for operational expenses, and the Ares investment is for "infrastructure".

There's speculation that BlueCo has spent the Ares investment on anything but what it was intended for, but that's speculation.

As above, the real issue is that there isn't any meaningful financial pressure for them to change their ways. The only damage that can be done is reputational. That's why there is so much PR trying to minimise and discredit the protesting.

They are clearly afraid of their image being damaged, and worried about protests. The amount of PR they spin is politician worthy. Some have said if Clearlakes investors become unhappy with the situation with Chelsea they could be made to sell early.

That's a hope anyways.

On 28/03/2026 at 21:52, OnePeterOsgood said:

In last night’s England team were Tomori, Livramento, Madueke, Solanke, Hall plus Guehi in the squad … not good enough for Chelsea but good enough for England? Not sure if this reflects worse on our transfer policy or the standard needed to play for England in 2026!

Livramento, Hall, Guehi+Tomori left for playing time. Reece, Cucu and Silva was ahead of them and the club chose to promote Trev.

Solanke and Madueke isn't good enough.

No need for revisionism

8 hours ago, Deino said:

Livramento, Hall, Guehi+Tomori left for playing time. Reece, Cucu and Silva was ahead of them and the club chose to promote Trev.

Solanke and Madueke isn't good enough.

No need for revisionism

All true. Revisionism is the plat du jour around here.

11 hours ago, axman2526 said:

They are clearly afraid of their image being damaged, and worried about protests. The amount of PR they spin is politician worthy. Some have said if Clearlakes investors become unhappy with the situation with Chelsea they could be made to sell early.

That's a hope anyways.

Control the situation before the situation controls you.

PR 101.

The Finkelstein interview told me everything I needed to know, and they are scrambling.

On 27/03/2026 at 09:22, Munkunku said:

Reported for beard-shaming. Some of us just have hideous faces we’re hiding as a courtesy to the general public!

18 hours ago, axman2526 said:

They are clearly afraid of their image being damaged, and worried about protests. The amount of PR they spin is politician worthy. Some have said if Clearlakes investors become unhappy with the situation with Chelsea they could be made to sell early.

That's a hope anyways.

I actually imagined that the " investors" were wealthy individuals anxiously following our results and League position. But I watched a very good video on 'the business of football " that explains, without hyperbole or scaremongering the situation.

Apologies if this is already common knowledge, but the Clearlake investors are Pension Funds, Insurance corporations etc etc " They commonly don't expect yearly dividend payments but desire their investment plus a suitable return from typically after 6 to 9 years

Clearlake gamble on selling at enough profit to pay back debts, pay investors and these a suitable profit.

However, if they can't do that, there's another option, ( can't say I understand it) where they basically sell it to an arms length enterprises which is basically themselves, and do someone or other clever to get investors on board again.

I'll post a link to the video, it s the best, most informative , and believable one I've watched about us . . Warning... I'm easily duped !!

This is worth watching.....

Edited March 30Mar 30 by The Rising Sun
Information

Now Cucu has said he would find it hard to try down barca and Cole is letting it be know he would like to leave.

42 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Now Cucu has said he would find it hard to try down barca and Cole is letting it be know he would like to leave.

Hmm, is that what he said though?

44 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Now Cucu has said he would find it hard to try down barca and Cole is letting it be know he would like to leave.

That gimp from The Sun is the only one who runs the Palmer story every international break because there's nothing else to talk about

2 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Hmm, is that what he said though?

He also said he'd be tempted if Barca actually tried signing him and he'd talk to his family about it.

I suspect this is all agent work in setting the players up for an early stance in case we miss out of CL and the owners try to cut their money.

1 hour ago, WhiteWall said:

Hmm, is that what he said though?

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

He also said he'd be tempted if Barca actually tried signing him and he'd talk to his family about it.

What Sconnie said.

I mean is clever really. Both an invitation to Barca without burning his bridges here.

Barcelona have no money. They can certainly have Cucurella on a free in 4 years time.

56 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Barcelona have no money. They can certainly have Cucurella on a free in 4 years time.

56 minutes ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Barcelona have no money. They can certainly have Cucurella on a free in 4 years time.

Bastoni and Alvarez are their priorities.