Roman Abramovich to Sell Chelsea FC Amid Russia-Ukraine Conflict

At the heart of this decision taken by the 55-year-old billionaire is "the current situation," the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the fact that Russia has been excluded from several international competitions. Roman Abramovich specified in a statement that the club is being sold without the loans he has granted to the London club, estimated at 1.5 billion pounds (1.8 billion euros). In addition, the proceeds from the sale will be "entirely donated to a charitable foundation for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine."

According to rumors, Roman Abramovich would have decided to sell the club after facing financial sanctions from the European Union or the British authorities. A lie according to the Chelsea statement, which nevertheless underlines a strong pressure since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The new owner of Chelsea could be Hansjorg Wyss, a Swiss billionaire who had declared to the newspaper Blick that he had been offered to buy Chelsea. But Abramovich stressed that nothing will be done in haste. He clearly stated that he does not intend to get rid of the club for a song, especially since in 2003 he bought it for 140 million pounds (168 million euros) and has invested a lot in it over all these years. "I ask you to believe that this has been an incredibly difficult decision to make and it pains me to leave the club in this way. However, I really think it’s in the best interest of the club," he further stressed.

Under his leadership, Chelsea have won 5 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, 2 Europa Leagues and most recently a Club World Cup title. "I hope I can visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to everyone in person. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our achievements," he said.