Chelsea's new owner Todd Boehly has predicted Newcastle United will establish themselves as part of the Premier League's new-look 'big seven' in the future. The Magpies were taken over in October 2021 by a Saudi-led consortium for £300million.
Newcastle now boast unparalleled financial power and are expected to be very busy in the summer transfer window. After fighting with relegation in the first half of the season, Eddie Howe took over at St. James' Park and led the side to an 11th-place finish in the Premier League.
Boehly, who saw his consortium complete its takeover of Chelsea towards the end of last month, has been speaking about Newcastle and how they can pose a threat to what is traditionally known as the Premier League's 'big six'. The American said at the SuperReturn International private equity conference in Berlin on Wednesday: "The big six will become the big seven with the Saudi deal for Newcastle. There is going to be opportunity for everyone to win."
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The new Chelsea owner also spoke about his belief that there remains untouched wealth in the Premier League, despite it being the richest footballing division in the world. Boehly was addressing opportunities for further income through sports gambling and player marketing.
He said: "They don't realise how big their opportunity is. Let's get a hold of our destiny and think about how to optimise this. The asset class is getting institutionalised. Now, we are starting to realise the power of these platforms."
Boehly has only been the owner of Chelsea for less than a month, but already he is facing a huge task this summer. Thomas Tuchel's squad is set for a big revamp in the coming months, with the Blues head coach being given full control of transfer-related activity.
Already we've seen Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen leave the club, as expected because of their contract situations. Chelsea are eyeing replacements for both defenders, with Jules Kounde still top of the list.
