ROMAN Abramovich has received several serious bids in the region of £3 billion to buy Chelsea – as Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley says the Russian has been treated unfairly.
Abramovich announced his decision to sell Chelsea on Wednesday evening, saying he believes “it is in the best interest of the club” after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Further offers for the Champions League holders are expected, according to the PA news agency, amid high interest in one of the world’s most attractive and high-profile football assets.
Chelsea’s bosses and the team around the sale are expected to review the credible bids once all offers are submitted.
Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and American investor Todd Boehly are understood to be two of the parties interested in buying Chelsea but British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has ruled himself out, saying there is “no substance” to reports he is looking to bid for his boyhood club.
Meanwhile, Staveley has said Abramovich has been treated unfairly and has dismissed concerns about the Saudi-backed £300m takeover of Newcastle.
Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, she said: “We are always going to have geopolitical issues. This world is never going to not have problems, and I know it is really hard and I am really sad today that someone [Roman Abramovich] is going to have a football club [Chelsea] taken away because of a relationship they may have with someone [Russia president Vladimir Putin]. I do not think that is particularly fair, actually, to be honest.
“But I also think that we have to hold all of our relationships to account. And I think that we have also got to remember with Saudi [Arabia] that it is an incredibly big, important country that I love. I love the people there. It is a young, vibrant population and I have seen Saudi [Arabia] change so much.”
Sky Sports
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