Current Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has reportedly added £500m to the club’s price tag as a number of parties attempt to seal a takeover.
The west London club has been on the market for nearly three months since the Russian announced his decision to end his near two-decade association.
In a statement released on Chelsea's official website, he wrote: “I would like to address the speculation in the 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.
“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.”
There remains a number of contenders in the running to become Abramovich’s successor at Stamford Bridge, with the likes of Stephen Pagliuca, Todd Boehly and Sir Martin Broughton all spearheading their own consortiums. The Ricketts Family are no longer in the running, leaving three offers on the table.
Whilst it was originally reported that Raine Group - the facilitators of the sale - were set to name their preferred bidders sooner rather than later but there now appears to be a complication. According to Sky News, Abramovich has requested that all of the three interested bidders increase their bids by £500m.
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The reason for that is that he apparently wants to dedicate more funds to the charitable foundation that he is expected to set up dedicated to helping victims of the conflict in Ukraine. Abramovich confirmed his intentions alongside his decision to sell.
He wrote: “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.”
It of course remains to be seen whether the interested parties will stump up the added fees that Abramovich appears to be requesting but whoever buys the club appear likely to be purchasing a Champions League outfit. Chelsea are on the verge of returning to Europe’s top table next term. They are seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham with six games left to play and take on Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday evening.
