The 55-year-old has decided it is the “best interest” of the Blues if he parts ways with the club he has transformed since his purchase in 2003.
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Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich on Wednesday confirmed he will sell the Premier League club amid Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Russian billionaire is under pressure to sell because should the U.K government sanction him, Chelsea could be seized as an asset. He would be unable to put any funds into the club, and any sale would become extremely complicated. Therefore the 55-year-old has decided it is the “best interest” of the Blues if he parts ways with the club he has transformed since his purchase in 2003.
Statement from Roman Abramovich.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 2, 2022
“I would like to address the speculation in media over the past few days in relation to my ownership of Chelsea FC. 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,” Abramovich said via an official statement shared by the Chelsea Twitter handle on Wednesday.
“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. Moreover, I have instructed my 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,” he said in the statement.
“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.”
“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,” he concluded.
Chelsea have won two Champions League titles, including in 2021 and five English Premier League trophies under the ownership of Abramovich.
