On Thursday, the American owners of English Premier League powerhouse Chelsea finalized an agreement to acquire Strasbourg of the French Ligue 1.
"This agreement marks a new chapter in Strasbourg's history as the consortium is committed to accelerating sustainable investments in the growth of the club," the BlueCo consortium stated in a statement.
This pertains to the first team and the academy and the continuation of the plan put forth by Marc Keller, who will continue to serve as the club's chairman with the backing of his present management group.
Chelsea's management group, led by American entrepreneur Todd Boehly and US-based Clearlake Capital, had a challenging first year.
Before a disastrous campaign finale under temporary manager Frank Lampard, they fired managers Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.
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Despite spending more than £500 million ($624 million) on newplayers in the new owners' first two transfer windows, Chelsea's 12th-place performance was their worst since 1994.
Since then, Mauricio Pochettino has been brought on as their new coach.
Boehly shares ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers, an NBA powerhouse, and the LA Lakers with the consortium.
Last season, Strasbourg also struggled, finishing two positions and five points above the relegation zone.
Just a year before, they had a solid sixth place.
Almost all of the shares of the Strasbourg club have been purchased by the US group, and a source informed AFP.
He was unable to disclose the actual sum of the transaction, though.
After Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, and Le Havre, Strasbourg is the fifth Ligue 1 team to be acquired by Americans.
It's a significant day for Strasbourg, Keller remarked.
"We have established a strong, well-run club at all levels.
However, we were conscious that our model had reached its limit and that if we wanted to take the club into a new dimension, we would need to be supported by a vital structure that could accommodate our growth and aspirations.
I thus welcome a new strategic investor, with whom we will further the club's goal of creating the Strasbourg of the future, he continued.
A club source stated there "will be no affiliation with Chelsea," a club source said.
The sports divisions will be separate, but there will be a common shareholder. Collaborations may occur, but they won't be the priority.
After being downgraded to the fifth tier and declared bankrupt in 2011, supporters were worried that Strasbourg would merely serve as a development squad for Chelsea.
"The new majority shareholders are investing in Marc Keller's project to give him the means to progress," the insider continued.
"If Strasbourg doesn't take action, the club will fall in the food chain. Therefore, we must act now to ensure that the club keeps its position.
