19 years, 21 major trophies and countless memories later – Roman Abramovich is looking to sell Chelsea FC. The Russian billionaire is looking to shield the recently crowned Club World Champions from possible sanctions against him by various European governments for his alleged close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Ever since Russian President Putin declared the start of a 'special military operation' in Ukraine on February 24, many Russian oligarchs have been sanctioned by various European governments including that of the UK. These sanctions are said to be part of the multi-pronged attempts at a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Speculation had been mounting on what his likely steps with regards to Chelsea FC were going to be. Calls for Roman Abramovich to be sanctioned by the UK government had been growing louder and more frequent. In the hours leading up to the shock announcement, British MP & Leader of Opposition Keir Stamer once again questioned UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on why Roman Abramovich had not yet been sanctioned. In response, PM Boris Johnson said that it is not appropriate for him to comment on individual cases at this stage. He added though "the vice is tightening on the Putin regime, and it will continue to tighten".
Recent news reports stated that Abramovich was requested to help negotiate an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A spokeswoman for Abramovich later confirmed that he was contacted by the Ukrainian side for support in achieving a peaceful resolution and that he has been trying to help ever since.
As part of the Chelsea FC statement, Abramovich said that he has instructed his team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated. "The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery."
The interested
As Chelsea fans worldwide are trying to come to terms with Abramovich’s sudden departure and look at the last 19 years fondly, recent reports have named a few interested parties looking to buy Chelsea FC. The names in the fray include the likes of Swiss businessman Hansjörg Wyss & Former UFC Champ-Champ Conor McGregor.
A consortium led by American Todd Boehly and Swiss business tycoon Hansjoerg Wyss is expected to make a bid for Chelsea Football Club before the end of the week, the Telegraph newspaper reported on Thursday.
Wyss told Swiss newspaper Blick that he along with 3 other people, received an offer on Tuesday to buy Chelsea from Abramovich.
UFC fighter Conor McGregor, who was named the Forbes highest-paid athlete in 2021, tweeted saying "I wish to explore this".
Reports further claim that Abramovich is looking to complete the sale within the week though with a transaction of this magnitude and complexity that seems difficult.
Abramovich at Chelsea
Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea FC in a £140 million deal from Ken Bates back in July 2003. Since then, no English team has won more trophies. His unwavering commitment to Chelsea FC has transformed the club into one of Europe’s elites with Chelsea being one of 5 European football clubs to have won every major club trophy on offer.
Additionally, Abramovich ensured that the club is actively involved in the community and engaged fans around the world. Anand Singh, co-founder of Chelsea India Supporter’s Club (CISC) vouches for the fact that the overall club administration improved a lot under Abramovich's regime. "The overseas fans got a lot of recognition from the club. It was an exciting phase as we finally had an owner who was committed and ready to spend money to challenge the elites and get the quality players that we deserved."
Current CISC President, Mayur Mandlik adds, "I have been fortunate enough to follow the club's journey from the very early stages of Roman's ownership. Through CFC's support we were officially recognised by the club and have grown tremendously with over 40 chapters across the country."
Abramovich was a regular sight at Chelsea's home games at their Stamford Bridge stadium but in recent years has stepped away with his UK visa issues hogging the headlines. Most believe that if not for the current circumstances, he may not have sold Chelsea for years to come, if at all.
"Please know that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make, and it pains me to part with the Club in this manner. The sale of the Club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid. This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and Club."
The club and Abramovich
From wrestling away the Premier League from incumbents like Manchester United and Arsenal in 2004 to winning the Club World Cup in February 2022, there have been many high points of the Abramovich era. Most fans agree that Chelsea winning the Champions League in 2012 against a dominant Bayern Munich was the biggest of them all. That being said, Abramovich severing ties in such a fashion certainly counts as the lowest.
Abramovich hopes that he will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all 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." Consequently, many are concerned about the uncertain future of Chelsea FC and who its new owner will be. Whoever that may be, they’ve got some big blue shoes to fill.
Despite being the owner of one of world football's biggest clubs, Roman Abramovich has always maintained a low profile and has repeatedly and strenuously denied being a close friend of Putin. He rarely chooses to speak publicly and hence the statement released by Chelsea FC late Wednesday night sent shockwaves across the football community.
"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 taken the decision 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."
(Edited by : Abhishek Jha)
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