Roman, is he getting bore and losing interest with the
Blues...
ROMAN Abramovich, the Russian billionaire, has been
taking soundings over selling Chelsea football club to Gulf Arabs.
Representatives of the oligarch have travelled to Saudi Arabia and
Dubai to elicit interest in the club, Gulf sources have told
The Sunday Times.
At least one of the meetings was with members of the Saudi royal
family. There has been no evidence so far of a potential buyer. The
Middle East has become the cash cow for British football teams.
Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi, the owner of Manchester City, hopes to
sign the Brazilian star Kaka from AC Milan in a deal that could
cost up to £243m in payments and salary.
One source said: “Abramovich’s team have been out in the Middle
East sounding out what interest there is in buying the club.”
Chelsea insisted last night that Abramovich was still fully
committed to the club on which he has lavished hundreds of millions
of pounds. A Chelsea spokesman said it was “total nonsense” that
the Russian was willing to sell the club.
He bought Chelsea for about £60m in 2003, taking over £80m in
debts, and has since provided at least £500m in loans to buy new
players. Sources say that if Abramovich can recoup his money, he
might now be ready to sell after five years in which he turned
Chelsea into a Champions League side that has twice won the English
Premier League.
Chelsea reached their first Champions League final last season
and Abramovich watched as they were beaten in a penalty shoot-out
by Manchester United in Moscow in May. He was absent from last
weekend’s 3-0 defeat by United, which many feel will pave the way
for Chelsea’s rivals to win the Premier League for a third
successive year.
Yesterday he left his seat at Stamford Bridge with 15 minutes of
the game remaining with Chelsea losing 1-0 at home to lowly Stoke.
It took two late goals to secure victory.
City sources believe it would cost at least £800m to buy out
Abramovich when the “going rate” for a Champions League side is
about £500m. Mansour was able to snap up Manchester City for about
£200m.
Abramovich’s wealth has fallen sharply in the down-turn. Philip
Beresford, who compiles The Sunday Times Rich List,
conservatively estimates that Abramovich has lost £3 billion from
his £11.7 billion fortune.
City experts question whether he may have a short-term problem
with liquidity and needs cash. Some of Chelsea’s superstars are
paid £120,000 a week.
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