What Chelsea $500m cash injection means for Mauricio Pochettino's January transfer window plans

Chelsea have raised around $500million (£403.3m) from California-based Ares Management, according to the Financial Times. The Blues have been searching for investment in recent months to fund possible stadium improvements at Stamford Bridge.

In August, it was reported that Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital had held talks with a number of investors over possible funds for upgrades to the home of the Blues and a multi-club model. The delay in the sale of Manchester United, valued in the region of $6billion, is said to have played a role in the investment interest in Chelsea.

Now, it has been claimed that the Blues have raised half a billion dollars from Ares Management. The Financial Times reports that according to two people knowledgeable of the matter, the US alternative asset manager has provided the capital injection as an equity deal.

The move comes after Boehly and Clearlake spent heavily in the past three summer transfer windows. Over £1billion has been spent on new signings since completing their takeover from Roman Abramovich in May 2022.

Despite the spending, Chelsea have struggled to reach the heights previously hit by the club. Last season, they finished 12th in the Premier League and Mauricio Pochettino has struggled to hit the ground running in his first five games in charge.

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For any supporters curious as to what Ares Management is, it describes itself on its website as a market-leading global alternative investment manager. As well as providing flexible capital to support businesses, they also offer investment solutions in credit, private