7 months ago
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ESPN
Jun 10, 2025, 05:41 AM ET
Former Chelsea proprietor Roman Abramovich has said helium wants to instrumentality to Stamford Bridge for a "proper goodbye," successful the Russian's archetypal interrogation since sanctions forced him to sell the club 3 years ago.
Abramovich was sanctioned pursuing Russia's penetration of Ukraine successful 2022 arsenic the UK authorities froze the assets of aggregate oligarchs successful a bid to "isolate [President Vladamir] Putin and those astir him." Abramovich sold the two-time Champions League winners to a consortium led by U.S. capitalist Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital successful May that year.
The 58-year-old's past known media interrogation was with Forbes successful 2021 but successful the publication "Sanctioned" by Nick Purewal, Abramovich addressed the anticipation of returning to Chelsea, and perchance football.
"Perhaps 1 time determination would beryllium a concern wherever I could be a lucifer and accidental a due goodbye, but thing much than that," Abramovich said successful an interrogation successful Abu Dhabi earlier this year.
"I don't person immoderate involvement successful immoderate relation successful a shot club, surely not a nonrecreational role.
"There mightiness beryllium thing wherever I could assistance with academies and youngsters, giving greater opportunities to radical from hard backgrounds, if determination were an inaugural that could marque a difference.
"But arsenic for ownership oregon a nonrecreational relation astatine a club, I americium done with that successful this lifetime."
In the book, Abramovich is claimed to person facilitated bid talks from the outset of the Russia-Ukraine war.
"There is an aged Russian saying, 'The dogs bark but the caravan keeps moving,' and that fits here," Abramovich added successful his 2025 interview.
"Whatever I do, radical volition ever impeach maine of immoderate benignant of agenda. In the end, I person done what I person done simply to effort to help."
The UK authorities has threatened to sue Abramovich to guarantee the wealth from the club's merchantability -- £2.5 cardinal ($3.37bn) -- goes to Ukraine. The UK authorities wants the wealth to beryllium for Ukrainian humaintarian aid, portion Abramovich has said helium wants it to spell to "all victims of the warfare successful Ukraine."
In a associated statement, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: "While the doorway for negotiations volition stay open, we are afloat prepared to prosecute this done the courts if required."
A lawyer for Abramovich successful Britain did not instantly respond to a Reuters petition for comment.
Abramovich bought Chelsea successful 2003 earlier embarking connected a trophy-laden era. Chelsea won 5 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups, 2 Champions Leagues and 2 Europa Leagues earlier Abramovich's departure.
Information from Reuters was utilized successful this report.
