Frank Leboeuf has been speaking about Chelsea, their recent transfer strategy and the club’s relationship with Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg.
Chelsea and Strasbourg are both owned by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital‘s BlueCo company.
It makes the two sister clubs, with Chelsea using that link last season.
The Blues sent both Angelo Gabriel and Andrey Santos to Strasbourg, where they were able to gain some experience in a top European league.
The relationship between the two clubs has its benefits in that sense, but Leboeuf, who has played for both teams, has his concerns.
Frank Leboeuf on Chelsea, Strasbourg and BlueCo’s transfer strategy
It is fair to say that Leboeuf is not a fan of the multi-club model and the way BlueCo have approached things at both Chelsea and Strasbourg.
In fact, the former defender has gone as far as to say Boehly and Co could end up killing the former.
Speaking to Get French Football News, he said: “You can put money in — no problem — but you can’t be the one making decisions if you don’t know the region, you don’t know how it works. So you need to be really careful because the fans are sceptical, they’re disappointed for the moment because they’re not seeing anything happen.
“And you get the impression that Chelsea are transferring their issues on to Strasbourg — so no players of experience, only youngsters, only trading business, all about the future and nothing for the present. And that raises issues for me, as neither at Strasbourg nor at Chelsea, will it work for me.
“I don’t believe in it. I think it could kill Chelsea, it could also lead Strasbourg towards a slow death. So it can bring money in but at some point you need results and if it’s to end up in Ligue 2, or in the Championship for Chelsea, then it won’t do.”
Chelsea’s transfer strategy under BlueCo
Since being taken over by Boehly and Clearlake, Chelsea have obviously signed a lot of young players.
It is a strategy that is yet to bear any fruit, with the Blues finishing in sixth and 12th in the last two seasons.
This summer, they have already brought in a bit of experience by adding Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin Adarabioyo to their squad.
The former is 25, while the latter is a year older.
Chelsea supporters will be hoping that extra bit of experience can help the team out in the new season, especially with veteran Thiago Silva no longer at the club.
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