Premier League

BEHDAD EGHBALI will block any attempt from Todd Boehly to sell his Chelsea stake to outside investors.A civil war has broken out between Chelsea’s two powerbrokers with both Boehly and majority owners Clearlake Capital exploring the option of buying the other out.Todd Boehly believes he can buy out Behdad EghbaliCredit: GettyBoehly believes he can raise a staggering £2.5billion to buy out Eghbali and Jose E Feliciano, his Clearlake co-founder, but they have no intention of selling.And amid suspicions Boehly is simply engineering his own exit from the club, Clearlake intend to block any attempt to sell to an outsider.As controlling owners with a 61.5 per cent stake, the investment fund have rights to block any sale of their partner’s shares.Boehly is part of a trio that own 38.5 per cent of the club alongside Hansjorg Wyss and Mark Walter.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLClaims that Boehly is considering selling his stake, which would amount to almost 13 per cent, have been denied.Clearlake are considering an offer to take complete control of the club in what is seen as the most likely solution to the boardroom rift, given their reluctance to sell.Sources around the private equity firm claim there could still be a way back to a more amiable working relationship, although it is seen as unlikely given Boehly has lost faith in his partners.The American billionaire, who also owns a stake in the baseball side LA Dodgers, took a leading role following the £2.5bn takeover from Roman Abramovich in May 2022, but has since seen his control shift to Eghbali.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSBoehly was initially a stand-in sporting director but the last 18 months has seen Eghbali take a far more significant role, working closely with sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley.Chelsea have spent over £1.2bn on players and sacked three managers; Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Mauricio Pochettino, without winning a trophy since the Americans took over.Chelsea Player Ratings vs Crystal Palace SocialChelsea are a circus – it will be TERRIBLE for football if they win anything, says Troy DeeneyCHELSEA are a circus — aren’t they?, writes Troy Deeney.But the bigger concern should be if somehow, some way, Todd Boehly’s insane master-plan brings about success this season.Finish in the top four. Win a trophy like the FA Cup.He will then turn around and say: “See, it works” and all of a sudden, other clubs will begin considering copying this mad model to try and compete in the Premier League.Before you know it, there will be a bigger divide between the top clubs and the rest and this country’s top flight will become something we have been fighting against — a Super League.The smaller sides and promoted teams will be wiped out by the elite and will end up saying, ‘What’s the point?’Football as we know it will change, and there will be no going back.As a neutral, you don’t want to wish failure on a club or a regime, but it’s depressing to think about.We should almost be looking at it in amazement — the owners have come in with this model and they’ve treated it as if they are buying stocks and shares, not players or human beings.Boehly has wiped away any sense of sentiment or old-school values from that club and the worrying thing is that he doesn’t seem to care.Does he even like football?Read Troy Deeney’s hard-hitting opinion on Boehly’s Chelsea shambles in full.Or check out all of Troy’s columns on SunSport. More

FORMER Arsenal player Rob Holding has deleted all mention of Crystal Palace from his social media after being made to train on his own.The defender has made just one appearance for the Eagles since signing from Arsenal last year.Rob Holding is training by himself at Crystal PalaceCredit: GettyHe has unfollowed the club on Instagram and deleted his Palace postsAnd he fell further down the pecking order following the arrival of Chadi Riad, Maxence Lacroix and Trevoh Chalobah this summer.Holding has suffered with injuries since his switch to Selhurst Park and he does not appear to be part of manager Oliver Glasner’s plans.The Palace boss confirmed the centre-back was training alone, with Holding since deleting photos from his Instagram relating to Palace.He also unfollowed the club just days after being banished from first-team training.READ MORE ON ARSENALGlasner said of his situation: “Rob [Holding] is training individually at the moment.”We will talk together. He knows the reason, but it is something that stays between Rob and me. Nothing public.”Arsenal fans expressed sympathy for Holding, who left the Gunners over a lack of game time.One fan reacted saying: “Shame how it’s worked out for him. Say what you will about his level but he never hid, unlike a lot of people he had to share a pitch with.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSChanges to the Premier League for 2024/25NOTHING stays the same forever.And that includes the Premier League, which is making a number of tweaks this season.Team news will now be released 75 MINUTES before kick-off, 15 minutes earlier than had been the case before.Things could get crowded on the touchline, with the number of substitutes permitted to warm-up boosted from three players per team to FIVE.There’s also a change to how added time is calculated when a team scores a goal, an update to the ‘multiball’ system and the introduction of semi-automated offsides – but not straight away.Go here to read about all the changes to the Premier League for 2024/25.Another added: “He’s a decent centre-back. Surely some low Prem club will be interested in him?”A third wrote: “I hate hearing this. He deserves to find a good home.”Raheem Sterling showing off skills in Arsenal training session More

MANCHESTER UNITED chief Dan Ashworth is reportedly “hurt” over comments made by his successor at Newcastle.Toon sporting director Paul Mitchell criticised the previous regime he took over from at St. James’ Park as he defended the club’s poor transfer window.Dan Ashworth was ‘hurt’ by Paul Mitchell’s commentsCredit: GettyMitchell said Newcastle’s transfer structure was ‘not fit for purpose’Credit: GettyNewcastle failed to land a marquee signing and were forced to sell promising youngsters Elliott Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to comply with profit and sustainability rules.Mitchell laid the blame at the door of his predecessors for their £250million net spend over the last couple of years, while criticising their failure to sell players.Ashworth, who left Newcastle in February to eventually become United sporting director, has been left “hurt” and “bemused” by Mitchell’s claims, according to The Telegraph.He is not the only one, with former co-owner Amanda Staveley, her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi and chief scout Steve Nickson said to feel the same way.READ MORE ON MAN UTDMitchell blamed Ashworth for Newcastle’s underwhelming window and hinted that his actions prevented him from being able to improve the squad this summer.He said: “You look at the money we have invested up to this point, £250 million net over the last two-and-a-half years.“It’s a lot of money and was our model in place to be able to spend more to the levels we would have liked to keep enhancing the team?“I don’t think it was, because we haven’t sold a player during that time, barring what we were forced to do through legislation of PSR.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS“There hasn’t been a clear strategic strategy over the last five years to say once we get to this point, can we keep enhancing the team with the same level of investment?“I don’t think that was factored into the strategies we had and that is a learning for everyone but I do think we have to be more global in our vision of the players we sign.’Man Utd have wrong bald Dutch manager’ – how Slot schooled Ten Hag at Old Trafford“I think the skill, whether it be personal philosophy or the demands of financial fair play has to come into play where you have to find undervalued talent at a certain age profile.”He continued: “Should our scouting and recruitment be driven more extensively with a wider reaching net?“It definitely should be because this is becoming a really nuanced space now, when you just can’t capitally fund everything every year and buying loads of players at peak age and peak price.“Of course it needs to be, and that’s the responsibility of me, the scouting team, the recruitment team and Eddie. To do that, to look at that. Is it fit for purpose?“Not last winter gone, the winter before that. Is it fit for purpose in the modern game, with the modern challenges? “Because other clubs that have maybe adopted a different approach over time, with more intelligence, maybe more data-informed than what we are, actually prospered, didn’t they, this window? READ MORE SUN STORIES“And I think that’s where we have to grow to be now.“It’s kind of the next phase of the growth of this project. We have to become better in this area of expertise, and there’s a skill.” More

ERIK TEN HAG faced yet another defeat as he took charge of his old club FC Utrecht in a testimonial match on Sunday.It follows Manchester United’s recent losses to Liverpool and Brighton, that have added to the pressure on the Dutch boss.Erik ten Hag faced another defeat as head coach of his old club FC Utrecht in a farewell match on SundayCredit: RexThe match at FC Utrecht was organised to honour club icon Mark van der Maarel, who recently retiredCredit: RexThe match at Utrecht was organised to honour club icon Mark van der Maarel, who recently retired after a glittering 15-year stint at the Galgenwaard Stadium.Van der Maarel, 35, spent his entire professional career with the club, making him a popular figure among fans and team-mates alike.The testimonial match featured a team of current Utrecht players against a squad of former players. Ten Hag agreed to take the team of former Utrecht players for the clash at his old club, who he played one season for in 1995 before returning to manage for two years in 2015.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe match provided the perfect chance for Ten Hag to get back to winning before he clocks back on to the day job at Carrington early next week.Centre back Van de Maarel, who had to wait until just before the end of the match to score, made the final result 2-1 with a late goal.Despite his best efforts, Ten Hag’s team lost the match with Urby Emanuelson and Ruud Boymans scoring for the oppositionAfter the defeat Ten Hag praised Van der Maarel, saying, “If you stay at this club for so long, you are a character. He has so deserved this.”Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSVan der Maarel played 397 official matches for Utrecht after making his debut in 2009 for the Eredivisie side.And is now third on the club’s all-time list of most games played.Erik ten Hag warns Manuel Ugarte could take MONTHS to get fit in further blow to Man Utd fans after Liverpool hammeringMeanwhile, the defeat adds to a challenging period for Ten Hag, who has been under scrutiny following United’s recent performances. The Red Devils suffered a 2-1 defeat to Brighton on August 24 and a 3-0 loss to Liverpool on September 1.They next face Southampton away on September 14 where Ten Hag will hope to get his side back on track. More