Roman Abramovich wants to finally part with Chelsea and sell the club from the English Premier League. The Russian billionaire confirmed this in an official statement on Wednesday evening.
Abramovich said he “always made his decisions in the best interests of the club. So in the current situation, I have made the decision to sell the club as I believe it is in the best interests of the club, the fans, the staff and… is the sponsor and partner of the club.”
Abramovich said the decision to put the club up for sale was “incredibly difficult” and it pained him to leave Chelsea in this way.
Chelsea FC: Roman Abramovich waives loan repayments
The 55-year-old added: “For me it was never about business or money, it was about pure passion for football and the club. In addition, I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation with all net proceeds from sales will flow. The foundation will benefit all victims of the war in Ukraine.”
It is about “the provision of important funds for the urgent and immediate needs of the victims and the support of long-term reconstruction work”.
Abramovich announced the sale would not be rushed. According to his own statements, he will not repay any loans to Chelsea.
Roman Abramovich demands four billion euros for Chelsea?
The Telegraph had previously reported that Abramovich was demanding a purchase price of four billion euros for Chelsea from potential buyers.
A consortium of investors around the Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss is hotly traded. “As of today, we don’t know the exact selling price. I can well imagine joining Chelsea with partners. But I have to check the general conditions first,” said the 86-year-old in an interview with “Blick”.
After Russia’s attack on neighboring Ukraine, club owner Abramovich also came into focus. He was considered one of numerous oligarchs and companies facing sanctions in Great Britain. Abramovich then initially announced that he wanted to hand over the management of the club to trustees.
The German team manager Thomas Tuchel and the internationals Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Antonio Rüdiger are under contract at Chelsea.
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