Roman Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Team, is said to be seeking his 1.5 billion Euro loan to the club. An official statement from the Russian, however, refuted these assertions.
“Mr. Abramovich has not asked for any loan to be repaid to him – such suggestions are entirely false.”
The statement was sent to address some of the media’s questions about Mr. Abramovich’s involvement in the sale of Chelsea Football Club. He has refuted claims that he wants the loans paid back.
Mr. Abramovich reiterated his position on the club’s sale, which has not altered. He intends to donate the entire money from Chelsea’s sale to charity.
Mr. Abramovich further reiterates his commitment to finding a competent custodian for Chelsea Football Club and ensuring that the earnings are donated to charitable organizations.
Chelsea’s new ownership has been a huge story in recent weeks, but it appears to be coming to an end shortly, with the Todd Boehly group now believed to be closing close on a deal, despite a late bid from Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
The Raine Group drew up a final four-man shortlist, which included the Martin Broughton-led consortium, the Steve Pagliuca-led consortium, and the Ricketts Family, who finally dropped out of the campaign following backlash from Chelsea fans over earlier claims of Islamophobia.
Why is Chelsea been sold?
Chelsea’s ownership position has shifted at dizzying speed in recent days, with Roman Abramovich announcing his intention to sell the Premier League giants on March 2.
In the face of mounting criticism of his position, the Russian billionaire announced a plan to give over “care and stewardship” of the Blues to the club’s charitable foundation.
However, following Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Abramovich decided to sell due to increased discussion and scrutiny focusing on Russian financial influence in the United Kingdom.
That process, however, has been thrown into doubt as the UK government levied a slew of sanctions against the tycoon on Thursday, which will have a significant influence on Chelsea’s operations.
What exactly are Abramovich’s sanctions?
Abramovich’s restrictions effectively prevent him from visiting or doing business in the United Kingdom.
According to the government announcement, Chelsea has been granted a “permission which authorizes a variety of football-related activities to continue,” which should allow them to complete their Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup fixtures.
However, only a few “explicitly defined activities” are permitted, and the entire implications of what Chelsea may and cannot do under those guidelines are still being determined.
“The license will be kept under regular evaluation, and we will cooperate closely with the football authorities,” the statement continued.
