A self-described “inexperienced” Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has revealed that his decision to sign Marc Cucurella was largely influenced by interest from Manchester City.
Cucurella joined Chelsea from Brighton in 2022 in a deal worth around £62 million.
Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali Co-Owners of Chelsea, applaud in the stand prior to the Carabao Cup Final match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on February 25, 2024 in London, England.
The Spanish defender was among the first major signings made under the BlueCo ownership group after the club was purchased from Roman Abramovich earlier that year.
With the football department not yet fully established at the time, Boehly found himself stepping in as Chelsea’s interim sporting director during a hectic summer transfer window.
Speaking at the iConnections conference, Boehly admitted it was a difficult learning curve as he tried to operate in the transfer market with little prior experience.
Why Boehly signed Cucurella in 2022
“Finding the right pieces at the start is always hard,” Boehly said.
“So you’re bound to make mistakes, and given the circumstances of the takeover, almost the entire management structure had gone.
“I ended up acting as interim sporting director that summer without really knowing what made a good footballer.
“But I did know one thing — if Manchester City wanted Marc Cucurella, then I wanted him too. It was that simple.”
Of all the players Boehly brought in during the 2022 summer window, Cucurella is widely regarded as the most successful signing.
How many players that Boehly signed are still at Chelsea?
The defender is now one of only three players from that intake still at the club, alongside Wesley Fofana and goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina.
Raheem Sterling was another headline arrival, joining from Manchester City for around £48 million.
However, Sterling managed just 19 goals in 81 appearances across all competitions before his contract was terminated in January, allowing him to move to Dutch club Feyenoord.
Boehly has since stepped away from day-to-day transfer decisions, with Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart now sharing responsibilities as Chelsea’s co-sporting directors.
The American businessman continues as club chairman, while Behdad Eghbali has taken on a more public-facing role among the ownership group, despite reports of some internal tension.
Despite massive financial investment from Boehly and his partners, Chelsea’s results have been inconsistent on the pitch.
The Blues finished 12th in the owners’ first season and improved to sixth place in the 2023/24 campaign.
How much has Chelsea spent under Boehly?
Chelsea then recorded their strongest season yet under the new regime by finishing fourth in the Premier League and winning two trophies — the Club World Cup and the Conference League.
Boehly believes that success reflects a long-term transfer strategy which, according to Transfermarkt, has seen close to £1.5 billion spent on new players.
“The truth is you need a plan and you have to commit to it,” Boehly said.
“When new information comes along, you adapt and refine it — and you shouldn’t be afraid to do that.
“But you can’t keep changing direction. You must build a structure and a foundation that you can grow from.”
