Chelsea FC’s summer transfer plans have been jeopardized by Roman Abramovich’s desire to sell the club, with the Premier League team unlikely to be able to spend extensively in the summer window unless a wealthy new owner is found in the coming months.
On Wednesday evening, Abramovich revealed his decision to sell Chelsea, stating that he believes “it is in the best interests of the club.” Since taking over the club in 2003, the Russian billionaire has helped Chelsea win 19 major trophies thanks to his financial backing.
Even after withdrawing his application for a UK visa in 2018, Abramovich’s support for Chelsea has remained, with the west London club surpassing their transfer record by signing Romelu Lukaku for £97.5 million from Inter Milan last summer.
However, assuming Abramovich remains the club’s owner, such expenditure seems unlikely in the next transfer window, with questions raised over whether the 55-year-old would be ready to support expensive player purchases if he hopes to sell the club.
Chelsea could be forced to function more like a traditional business, spending only what they earn rather than relying on their wealthy owner.
It’s possible that the European and World Champions will have to sell players to help pay any new additions. Despite the signing of Lukaku, the Blues have sold players for huge transfer amounts in the past and have earned a profit in the transfer market this season.
Chelsea’s retention of Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen, and Cesar Azplicueta, who are all out of contract at the end of the season, could be another concern. Other European teams have approached the trio, and their decision to stay at Stamford Bridge could be influenced by the instability at Chelsea.
Chelsea’s situation is complicated further by the possibility of Abramovich being sanctioned by the UK government, which has threatened to punish Russian businesses in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Abramovich maintains that he has no ties to the Russian government or President Vladimir Putin, and that he has done nothing to merit sanctions.
When asked if the Chelsea owner could sell the club if the UK government sanctioned him, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters stated, “I don’t think it will work.”
Chelsea, on the other hand, have less reason to be concerned about Thomas Tuchel’s future, as the head coach is said to be committed to the club until 2024.
However, if a new owner takes control of Chelsea, both Bruce Buck, the chairman, and Marina Granovskaia, the strong director, are expected to quit.
Two of the parties said to be interested in buying Chelsea are Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and American investor Todd Boehly. However, British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has been thrown out of the race, with a spokeswoman for his business Ineos claiming that allegations tying him to a bid for the club had “no validity.”
Following Chelsea’s FA Cup fifth-round victory against Luton Town on Wednesday, Thomas Tuchel said that Roman Abramovich’s decision to sell the club “hasn’t sunk in yet” and that it will result in “huge change” at Stamford Bridge.
In the aftermath of Abramovich’s announcement, Chelsea battled to beat their Championship opponents, finally winning 3-2, and when asked about the owner’s impact in west London after the game, Tuchel said: “It’s a bit too early since it’s major news.”
“I can’t help but think of Chelsea and Roman Abramovich, so it’s difficult for me.” It hasn’t yet dawned on me that this is going to end. Of course, this is a significant shift.
“I don’t believe I need to say anything about it.” I am confident that the club will speak with both us and the players. I’m not concerned since I still feel fortunate and fortunate, and I continue to hope and trust for the best. I’m not the type to be concerned about things I can’t control.
“It’s big news, and it’ll be a significant transition, but I’m never afraid of change, and I’ll focus on what I can control, which is the Cobham staff and team.”
