Chelsea has sacked chief commercial officer Damian Willoughby for sending “inappropriate messages” to a financial broker last year. The inappropriate interactions occurred prior to her employment with the Blues. Chelsea only brought Willoughby into the job about two weeks ago before letting him go.
A Chelsea spokesman explained the dismissal to Reuters on Wednesday. “The club recently provided and investigated evidence of inappropriate messages sent by Mr Willoughby, prior to his appointment to Chelsea FC earlier this month.”
“While they were dispatched prior to their employment at the club, such behavior absolutely goes against the working environment and corporate culture that is being established by the new ownership of the club.”
New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly signed Willoughby on 6 September. Previously, the former Chelsea commercial director worked with City Football Group, as well as EA Sports. His goal at the club was to generate a significant amount of money on top of the income earned on actual matchdays.
Todd Boehly, owner of Chelsea
Chelsea Fire Business Director
The commercial director actually worked with Chelsea as head of sponsorship more than a decade ago. He left the club to work within City Football Group, and his last role was CEO of City Football India in 2021. Willoughby left this job to work with EA Sports, where he was vice president of associations.
Willoughby joins a host of people involved with Chelsea in leaving the club in recent months. Since Boehly bought Chelsea this summer, there have been a multitude of changes within the team’s hierarchy. President Bruce Buck, director Marina Granovskaia and adviser Petr Cech have left the club.
Additionally, Boehly fired head coach Thomas Tuchel earlier this month. The West London team is currently looking for a new sporting director to replace the aforementioned Granovskaia. RB Salzburg executive Christoph Freund turned down the opportunity to take the job at Chelsea earlier this week.
PHOTO: IMAGO/PA Images
