Roman Abramovich’s sale of Chelsea Football Club has drawn a rich mix of bidders for one of the most coveted assets in world football.
The Russian billionaire put the London-based club up for sale after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which prompted the U.K. government to place him under far-reaching sanctions for his ties to President Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Whoever takes over will have a tough act to follow: When Abramovich bought the club for about 150 million pounds ($197 million) in 2003, it hadn’t won the English top division since 1955. Since his arrival, the club has won 21 trophies, including five domestic and two European Champions League titles.
