How One Of Chelsea’s Sister Clubs Is Tearing Up The French League

In the sport today, football club owners are treating multi-club ownership additions like the purchase of a shining new transfer.

The model is quickly rising and reshaping the football we all love. However, the club owners are not all to blame; it is a dog-eat-dog world where football clubs will do anything to succeed.

BlueCo – a company led by American businessman Todd Boehly – completed the takeover of Premier League Icons Chelsea back in 2022, after badgering the Blues for three years. In 2023, BlueCo added to their €500 million-plus Chelsea transfer expenditure with the acquisition of French outfit Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace to the portfolio.

Without a doubt, this model has benefitted the Ligue 1 side, as Strasbourg continue to outperform expectations this season.

How Todd Boehly’s Multi-Club Ownership Model Looks

The way the likes of City Football Group and Red Bull Group have flourished under this ownership model has set a huge precedent for other owners to follow suit. When Boehly acquired Chelsea, he made it pretty transparent that this new footballing trend was his way forward.

After scouting clubs around Europe, the LA Dodgers shareholder took his pick and secured a majority stake in RC Strasbourg – rumoured to be close to 100 percent. Chelsea had picked up a bargain. They paid close to €75 million for Strasbourg – a football club playing in France’s top tier, with an average home attendance of 25,000, playing games televised by some of the most prestigious broadcasters. Bear in mind the Blues had already exceeded that figure three times in the same calendar year of 2023, just on three separate player signings.

🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚! Todd Boehly is about to buy Strasbourg! 🇫🇷

The American businessman tried Lyon, Sochaux and Bordeaux before agreeing to buy Strasbourg.

(Source: @ed_aarons / @Romain_Molina ) pic.twitter.com/h0EMqn4YTN
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) March 17, 2023

Todd Boehly had definitely struck a promising deal. One of his ambitions when taking over Strasbourg was to develop the youth talent over his consortium. Chelsea is a club that is renowned for its youth academy; Cobham has introduced some of the greatest talents in world football. The French sister club now lays out a red carpet for Chelsea youth prospects, as the multi-club ownership can exploit the player loans system. Although this is a strategy used by the majority of owners partaking in this model, it is a tactic frowned upon my many in the football world.

What Is In It For Strasbourg?

There are a lot of owners in football that have shown their selfish, entrepreneurial motives. Unfortunately, owners running precious football clubs down to the ground has not been a rarity. So how could the French club trust a man who had only spent one year in the sport prior?

Ultimately Todd Boehly and BlueCo did not necessarily get the crowd singing in their first year in West London, but they pumped significant investment into Chelsea – something Strasbourg had been craving previously for many years.

Todd Boehly: “Chelsea are gonna win 3-0 tonight. I tell the fans: have a lot of faith”. 🔵 #CFC

“We look at this as a long term process, we have a lot of work to do. We’ve lot of faith about the future. Our future is bright”.

🎥 @footballdaily
pic.twitter.com/DB4tpsodOO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 12, 2023

In 2011, Strasbourg encountered total liquidation after riding a financial slippery slope. They were hit with relegation to the fifth tier of French football although, astonishingly worked their way back up and reached Ligue 1 again six years later. Strasbourg have been tenants in the top division ever since, despite experiencing a few hiccups.

The season prior to Todd Boehly’s takeover, there was a lack of direction on the French coast. Strasbourg tussled with relegation prospects, though narrowly avoided the drop by finishing 15th. A new policy was needed to propel them upwards.

When seeking investment, the Blue and Whites were cautious and knew what they were getting into. At first, they wished for local investment and only wanted to sell a minority stake to BlueCo. Despite that not being an option and Strasbourg being aware of the sister club status they would obtain under BlueCo, the Ligue 1 outfit accepted the offer. They are not the ownership's full focus, but they are on a mission for success and will not live to regret that acceptance any time soon.

Strasbourg This Season

Strasbourg have come over leaps and bounds this campaign as they have a lot to thank for. The Blue and Whites sit in seventh spot in Ligue 1 after years of decay in the table’s bottom half. There are multiple factors responsible for their meteoric incline.

Firstly, Liam Rosenior – a name ringing around the city of Strasbourg. French football has been a taste of something the 40-year-old has never tried before. Following a successful career on the pitch, Rosenior’s only permanent managerial role was at the wheel of Hull City – where he was sacked after two years from failing to make the Championship playoffs. Hull will be wishing they could alter that decision after witnessing Rosenior’s current prosperity. Born in Southwest London, but raised in the Southwest of England, he commenced his French excursion last summer when Strasbourg snatched his potentiality following his harsh sacking on Humberside. Being a former Brighton and Hove Albion youth coach himself, Liam Rosenior knows how to get the best out of hungry, ambitious youngsters – which is exactly the blueprint which has seen his side obtain a 48 percent win percentage and a gauge of European football desires, being one point off.

🗣 Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior: "When you're young, you want to express yourself with the ball. To have it, you have to run, you have to squeeze, and when you have it, you have to keep it as long as possible and use it in the right areas. Here's, in really simplistic terms, my… pic.twitter.com/40dge4jdYD
— Vince™ (@Blue_Footy) March 25, 2025

Touching on the youthful quality Strasbourg have at their disposal, they have adopted a scheme unique to most in Ligue 1. The Blue and Whites have the youngest squad in the league, by a country mile, with an average of 21.4 years of age. It is a risky technique to deploy, given the lack of experience in the team. However, if executed correctly, the fresh legs and desire can outperform most, as we are observing living proof.

There is no shying away from the class of Andrey Santos this season – a Brazilian youngster, notably on loan from Chelsea through use of BlueCo’s multi-club ownership. The 20-year-old is currently on his fourth loan spell and the only one he has found his feet at. He has scored nine goals and got two assists this season from central midfield for Strasbourg. Meanwhile, the Brazilian has been rewarded captaincy by Liam Rosenior on his second loan stint at the club, despite only being born in 2004. Similarly to Santos, goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic is also on loan from Chelsea. Being one of the oldest of the bunch – at 25-years-old – Petrovic has been absolutely crucial for Strasbourg. The Serbian has grinded out a colossal eight clean sheets this campaign as he looks to impress Enzo Maresca on his return to West London.

Chelsea signed Andrey Santos from the Brazilian Second Division.

He now finds himself being a very important player for RC Strasbourg and this summer, will return to Chelsea after a very successful two years. He will
be, again, a very important player. Oh, and he has Clubs like…
— ~ (@CFCdruw) March 20, 2025

Outperforming The Blues

Being on the tale of European football in Ligue 1 ironically shows up the golden child Chelsea this season. When Todd Boehly set up Strasbourg as a talent pool for his Chelsea youth, I do not think he expected the loanees to surmount the players he attains back in England.

Chelsea have been a disappointment to the majority of their fans for the previous few seasons. Although right now they sit higher than they have finished since 2022, the Blues have once again underperformed. Knocked out of the FA Cup and an underwhelming EFL Cup display, the only positives Enzo Maresca’s side could possibly take from this season is Champions League football for next year and perhaps a Europa Conference League triumph.

For the investment flowing into Chelsea, it is not deceitful to suggest that their sister club Strasbourg are enjoying a much more successful season by their standards.

However, the season is not yet over, as Strasbourg draw closer to Friday’s anticipated fixture against Lyon – a team bang in form in both Ligue 1 and the Europa League. Lyon are also notably owned by an American multi-club ownership – Eagle Football, who have shares in multiple clubs including Crystal Palace. This face-off is one that is an important stepping stone in Strasbourg’s hunt for Europe, as it could go either way.