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This Saturday, a considerable number of Chelsea and Strasbourg supporters are set to stage protests against the club's current ownership, headed by Clearlake Capital's Behdad Eghbali.
Typically avoiding the public eye, Eghbali stepped into the spotlight at CAA's World Congress of Sports conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, delivering his most extensive remarks to date regarding BlueCo's controversial vision for the club.
"For the fans, we care," Eghbali emphasized. "We want the club to succeed. We're focused on delivering that performance on the pitch."
From the club's transfer strategy to the dismissal of manager Enzo Maresca and the appointment of Liam Rosenior, Eghbali shared a wealth of revealing details about Chelsea's direction.
'Tweak the Plan'
At the heart of the frustration aimed at Eghbali and BlueCo has been the transfer approach, which has placed a heavy emphasis on young, high-potential players at the cost of experienced veterans.
Not only do these players tend to come with hefty price tags, but they often lack the composure required when the stakes are highest. Marc Cucurella, Chelsea's third-oldest player at just 27 and signed before the recruitment philosophy shifted, publicly sided with fans in criticizing the approach.
"There's a full reflection on what we can do better, what we can improve on," Eghbali acknowledged.
"There is a plan. We reflect on the plan. We try to improve the plan and tweak the plan if it's not working. The message is we're committed.
"I think we've done a few things right, a lot of things right. We've got to be better on a few things, to add more ready-made players at this part of the project, to take [it] to the next level, to be consistent over time.
"We recognize we need balance. We have world champions, we have Champions League winners, we have elite, elite young players. Experience has developed now. The team has been together for two or three years. The objective is to keep your best players, and we've done that, and there's no intention to rebuild every three or four years. You tweak a model, you improve, you learn from mistakes."
Maresca's Exit 'Against Policy'
While discontent among supporters had been building throughout 2025, it was the mid-season dismissal of former manager Enzo Maresca in January that truly ignited tensions in the stands. Eghbali's name is now routinely chanted in profanity-filled songs, often accompanied by vocal tributes to former owner Roman Abramovich.
One of the key factors behind Maresca's departure was a deteriorating relationship between him and the club's hierarchy, including Eghbali.
Cucurella openly stated his displeasure at the mid-season managerial change, while frustration over the decision was also a central theme in Enzo Fernández's outburst during the international break.
"Our policy has been no in-season changes," Eghbali confessed. "You certainly review and hold not only the manager, but the management team, the sporting team, accountable, but typically in the summers, not in season.
"It's not a change we wanted to make. It's a change that had a bit of a negative impact in the season, when you're changing systems and personnel, and it's one we've got to fight our way out of.
"We still have six matches in the Premier League, and an FA Cup semifinal coming up. So hopefully the story of this season hasn't been written yet, and you've got a lot to fight for. In my perspective, when you get punched in the face, you've got to fight back, you've got to stand up and fight. And it's going to hopefully show a lot about the character of this squad.
"I think the perspective is stability, and frankly, getting that stability on the manager side is one of the things we haven't done right yet, and it's something we're striving to improve on."
'I Think We're Behind Liam'
The choice to bring in Rosenior as Maresca's replacement has split opinion among supporters. The former Strasbourg head coach was evidently well-acquainted with the BlueCo model upon his arrival, but his relatively modest experience at the elite level means Rosenior still has ground to cover in winning over the full fanbase.
After a promising beginning, Rosenior now finds himself under intense scrutiny. A dismal run of five losses in six matches, during which Chelsea have shipped 15 goals, has cast serious doubt over his long-term prospects at Stamford Bridge.
Eghbali voiced his backing for Rosenior, though his phrasing left something to be desired.
"On Liam, we had the opportunity to work with him daily for 18-plus months, so we knew what we were getting," Eghbali continued. "We think he has every attribute to be successful here.
"He got off to a great start. We've had a tough past five, six matches, but I think we're behind Liam. Of course, it's a results business, but we think he can be successful long term."
Enzo Fernández Escapes Criticism
One of the pressing questions hanging over Eghbali and Chelsea heading into the summer is the future of midfielder Fernández, whose commitment to the club was thrown into uncertainty after a string of pro-Real Madrid comments made during the recent international break.
Eghbali declined to address Fernández's remarks directly but eagerly seized the opportunity to name the Argentine international as a cornerstone of Chelsea's plans moving forward.
"Our goal is to have elite, elite players on the pitch, elite characters off the pitch that our fans can bond with, that will be at the club, that will be club legends for the next 10 or 15 years and beyond," he explained.
"I think, generally, we've been fortunate, not in getting everything right, but we do have a core [of] good players, global players. Cole Palmer, Moisés Caicedo, Enzo Fernández, Levi Colwill, Estêvão Willian, Reece James ...
"The view is now that we're here with a great core base, to add some of that experience, to take the team to the next level and have consistency. That fact is not lost on us, and we're at a point where we can take that next step, hopefully in the next year and beyond."