- Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to sell the club
- It is painful for Abramovich to sell Chelsea
- Why is Abramovich selling Chelsea?
- Why did Abramovich hand over Chelsea to stewardship earlier?
- People who are interested in buying Chelsea FC
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has officially confirmed he wants to sell the club.
With Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss stating he has been offered the opportunity to acquire it.
Roman Abramovich. Photo/Sky Sports
“I would like to address the speculation in media over the past few days concerning my ownership of Chelsea FC,” it read.
“As I have stated before, I have always taken decisions with the club’s best interest at heart.
“In the current situation, I have therefore decided to sell the club, as I believe this is in the best interest of the club, the fans, the employees, as well as the club’s sponsors and partners.
“Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the club in this manner.
“However, I do believe this is in the best interest of the club.
Said the Russian billionaire”
Why is Abramovich selling Chelsea Football Club?
Abramovich is under pressure to sell since Chelsea might be taken as an asset if he is sanctioned by the UK government.
He would be unable to invest any funds in the club, making any sale extremely difficult.
According to ESPN, Abramovich is seeking around £3 billion ($2.24 billion) for the Blues.
Nevertheless, his ability to negotiate is severely hindered by the timing of his decision.
which was influenced by mounting pressure on the UK government.
To seize the assets of high-value Russian individuals with ties to Putin’s regime following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Although Abramovich has long denied any ties to Putin, Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer publicly called on the government to sanction the Chelsea owner during Prime Minister’s Questions
Labour MP Chris Bryant used Parliamentary Privilege earlier this week to claim Abramovich is selling his UK property and another flat, saying the Russian billionaire is “terrified of being sanctioned” in the House of Commons.
UK Member of Parliament Chris Bryant. Photo: Financial Times
Why did Abramovich hand over Chelsea to Stewardship?
Earlier on, Abramovich had handed Chelsea’s “stewardship and care” to the club foundation’s trustees, in a step intended at protecting the Stamford Bridge club amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person.
“It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements. Chelsea Football Club and its supporters will always be in my heart.”
Chelsea owes Abramovich £1.5 billion after he bought the club for £140 million in 2003, but he insists he will not ask for any of the loans to be repaid.
“This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and club,” Abramovich said.
Four people Who have shown interest in buying Chelsea FC
- Hansjorg Wyss
Swiss Business man Hansjorg Wyss. Photo : Twitter
86-year-old Wyss, who emerged as an early contender, claimed that he and three other unnamed parties had been offered the possibility to invest in the club well before Abramovich’s announcement.
However, in an interview with Blick, the Swiss, who is reported to be worth £4.3 billion after creating American medical equipment company Synthes, indicated that Abramovich will have to drop his demands if a deal is to be struck.
“I have to wait four to five days now. Abramovich is currently asking far too much,” Wyss explained. “You know, Chelsea owes him £2billion [it is £1.5billion]. But Chelsea has no money. That means: those who buy Chelsea should compensate Abramovich.
2. Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Jim Ratcliffe, British tycoon and owner of French Foot ball club Nice. Photo: The Mirror
Ratcliffe owns French club Nice and rumors about a move to buy the Blues initially began in 2019. He is known to have kept season tickets at Stamford Bridge despite supporting Manchester United.
The 69-year-old, who has a net worth of £20 billion thanks to his multi-national chemicals company Ineos, stated that conversations with Chelsea had taken place, but there was one major stumbling block.
3. Todd Boehly
LA Lakers owner Todd Boehly. photo: The Sun
Following his failed attempt to purchase Chelsea in 2019, US entrepreneur Boehly could potentially be back on the bid.
The American billionaire is a passionate sports lover who was reportedly turned down for two offers in 2019.
Eldridge Industries co-founder, chairman, and CEO Boehly has a net worth of £4.72 billion.
Boehly already owns a share in the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA.
4.Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor, UFC Fighter. Photo: The Bleacher
McGregor is the most bizarre prospect, having thrown his hat into the ring just hours before Abramovich’s announcement.
The UFC fighter wrote on Twitter: “I’d want to look into this, Chelsea,” he said in response to a screenshot of a WhatsApp message from an anonymous contact that said, “Chelsea for sale, £3 billion.” Let’s go ahead and buy it “.
McGregor, who is worth over £135 million, has expressed interest in purchasing Manchester in the past.
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