Roman Abramovich Thread

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

[Milan 17,835]

Lord Sebastian Coe is reportedly ready to team up with Sir Martin Broughton in staking a claim at Chelsea following Roman Abramovich’s sanction.

“I am certain that Sir Martin is the right man to lead Chelsea Football Club into its next chapter. He has an exceptional track record in British business, as well as unrivalled experience in shepherding Liverpool out of a very difficult situation,” Coe told the PA news agency.

“He has the vision, acumen and financial backing to ensure our club’s future success, keeping Chelsea Football Club at the top of European football and challenging for trophies. But most importantly, like me, he is a lifelong Chelsea supporter and Shed End season-ticket holder. I know that this bid is for millions of Chelsea fans around the world. We love our club and will always put the fans first,” he added.

[Pizy 17,860]

Hope the new ownership isn’t chosen based on sentimental connection to the club. Are Broughton and Coe rich enough to spend and keep us at the top? Or might they be preferred just because they’re English and Chelsea supporters?

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

[Fernando 6,375]

50 minutes ago, Pizy said:

Hope the new ownership isn’t chosen based on sentimental connection to the club. Are Broughton and Coe rich enough to spend and keep us at the top? Or might they be preferred just because they’re English and Chelsea supporters?

But the problem is how fast we want to close. 

I wonder if with the Saudis the PL will give us a hard time to sell vs someone English? 

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by Blues Forever

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

[Pizy 17,860]

My memory is fuzzy at this point, was there such a massive frenzy to buy Arse, Liverpool, or United when they changed hands years ago?

It’s crazy how everyday now we’re seeing some other group throw their hat in the ring. There was so much talk just last week about someone perhaps getting a cut-price deal since we were in such a hurry to sell. But damn, there are loads of party’s that are still willing to pay multiple billion dollars for the chance to own our club.

That should bode well for our future prospects. Someone who wants us that badly will want to invest in the squad.

[Fernando 6,375]

The battle to buy Chelsea: what we know about the main bidders

Before Friday’s deadline for offers to buy the club from Roman Abramovich, we look at the known runners and riders

 

Boehly-Wyss-Goldstein consortium

The Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss was first to go public regarding Roman Abramovich’s desire to sell and to declare an interest in buying the club. He has teamed up with investors including Todd Boehly, an American who part-owns baseball’s LA Dodgers, and Jonathan Goldstein, a British businessman who is the CEO of Cain International and a Tottenham fan. They submitted an offer between £2bn and £2.5bn some days ago and have been confident of winning the race to buy Chelsea but the picture has been complicated by the emergence of new bidders. Boehly was rebuffed by Abramovich when he made an offer for the club in 2019.

 

Ricketts family and Ken Griffin

The Ricketts family, owners of the Chicago Cubs, have joined forces with the hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin, who is valued by Forbes at $26.5bn (£20.2bn). Griffin is the founder and CEO of Citadel Asset Management but is operating in a private capacity. The Ricketts family, who announced on Wednesday they would bid on Friday, first made an attempt to buy Chelsea in 2018. They believe their success in winning the World Series with the Cubs in 2016 and major redevelopment of the team’s historic Wrigley Field show they would be worthy owners of the Premier League club, whose Stamford Bridge stadium could be renovated.

Team Broughton-Coe

Martin Broughton, a former chairman of British Airways, is planning to front a bid and has support from Sebastian Coe and financial muscle from Creative Artists Agency, a US company whose portfolio includes the football agency Base, and Evolution Media Capital. Broughton, a Chelsea fan, was briefly chairman of Liverpool in 2010 and there would be a seat on the board for Coe, the World Athletics president and a fellow Chelsea supporter, if this offer succeeds. Coe is a former Conservative MP and worked closely with Boris Johnson over the 2012 London Olympics, when the prime minister was the mayor of London. The UK government must approve Chelsea’s sale after imposing sanctions on Abramovich, although the process is being overseen by the US bank Raine.

Woody Johnson

 

The owner of the NFL’s New York Jets since January 2000 has strong interest in Chelsea and a connection with London. He was appointed as the US ambassador to the UK by Donald Trump in 2017 and soon denied he had suggested his country could buy the NHS. Johnson is said to have developed, or deepened, his love for football, and Chelsea in particular, during his time in that post. He is the billionaire heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune. The Jets have not made the play-offs in 11 years, the longest current drought in the NFL.

Nick Candy and partners

The British property tycoon is another Chelsea fan hoping to own the club. He has acknowledged the need to team up with other investors and sources have said he has been approached by several and has the funds in place to bid. Candy this week denied he could team up with Boehly, Wyss and Goldstein, with a spokesperson saying Candy did “not want a lifelong Spurs fan as part of the future ownership of Chelsea”. Candy, a Conservative party donor and property developer, has said he would put a fan on the board and his proposals include plans for an expensive redevelopment of Stamford Bridge. He has enlisted the sports advisory and capital solutions firm Tifosy, co-founded by the former Chelsea player and manager Gianluca Vialli.

Saudi Media Company

Saudi Media is described on the website of its parent company, Engineer Holding Group, as “a media representation as well as a sports and event marketing company”. Its bid is being fronted by Mohamed Alkhereiji, another Chelsea fan, who is the CEO at Engineer, founded by his father, Abdulelah. Sources have said, in response to questions regarding a possible Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ test, that Saudi Media has no direct links to the Saudi government. This week, the UK’s sports minister, Nigel Huddlestone, said: “Saudi Arabia is an important partner of the UK in investment, intelligence and culture. We welcome Saudi Arabian investment.”

Other possible bidders

As many as 200 groups have notified Raine of their interest so offers from elsewhere appear likely. Muhsin Bayrak, a Turkish businessman, was said by a representative to have made a bid just under a fortnight ago. Since then Abramovich has been hit by sanctions and Bayrak has been quoted as saying he will submit a fresh offer that reflects the changed circumstances. Josh Harris, the Crystal Palace co-owner, has been linked with a bid. Any takeover by the American would require him to leave Palace.

What happens next?

Raine will assess the bids and pick its preferred candidates. The bank is hopeful a deal could go through by the end of this month, with time of the essence because Chelsea are operating under a special licence as a result of the sanctions on Abramovich. At the start of this month the Premier League chief executive, Richard Masters, said: “I think the quickest [sale] we have ever done is 10 days. That’s not to say that record can’t be beaten but normally it takes a number of weeks.”

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/mar/17/battle-to-buy-Chelsea-bidders-so-far-roman-abramovich

-----------------------

The quote from the UK's Sports minister about Saudi Arabia is very interesting. If they are willing to accept them, then we should go for them. Who cares about image, Chelsea will continue to be hated, was for many years and more even with so with Saudi owners. I'm all for it as long he will continue to legacy of Roman of spending on us 😃

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by Fernando

[bigbluewillie 1,805]

3 hours ago, Milan said:

Lord Sebastian Coe is reportedly ready to team up with Sir Martin Broughton in staking a claim at Chelsea following Roman Abramovich’s sanction.

“I am certain that Sir Martin is the right man to lead Chelsea Football Club into its next chapter. He has an exceptional track record in British business, as well as unrivalled experience in shepherding Liverpool out of a very difficult situation,” Coe told the PA news agency.

“He has the vision, acumen and financial backing to ensure our club’s future success, keeping Chelsea Football Club at the top of European football and challenging for trophies. But most importantly, like me, he is a lifelong Chelsea supporter and Shed End season-ticket holder. I know that this bid is for millions of Chelsea fans around the world. We love our club and will always put the fans first,” he added.

I've already posted this.

[Milan 17,835]

13 minutes ago, bigbluewillie said:

I've already posted this.

Good boy, here's a cookie 🍪

[chelsea_4_eva 1,141]

Ooh cant wait for the semi-finals!

[Blues Forever 1,232]

 

[Blues Forever 1,232]

Potential controversy if Boehly still wants Finkelstein. 

Edited March 17, 2022 by Blues Forever

[Clockwork 1,762]

https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2022/3/16/22981948/oaktree-capital-latest-to-prepare-offer-for-Chelsea-football-club-report

 

[Vesper 27,302]

12 hours ago, Blues Forever said:

Potential controversy if Boehly still wants Finkelstein. 

ffs 🤬

[Vesper 27,302]

and now these motherfuckers!

Premier League clubs question Chelsea's unfair advantage if Roman Abramovich writes off debt

Premier League rivals have raised concerns that Chelsea could benefit from having their £1.5billion debt to Roman Abramovich written off if the club finds new owners

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-Chelsea-abramovich-debt-26476121

Premier League clubs have questioned whether Chelsea would receive an 'unfair advantage' if owner Roman Abramovich writes off his £1.5billion debt in a potential takeover.

The Blues were put up for sale by the Russian billionaire almost a fortnight ago - after his links to Vladimir Putin came to light following the invasion of Ukraine - and in his hasty exit strategy, Abramovich pledged that he would not ask for any debt accumulated over the past 19 years, which he is owed, to be repaid by the south-west London club.

But since the UK government sanctioned Abramovich and froze his assets, Chelsea have been plunged into further crisis and must wait for Downing Street to issue them with a new licence to be sold. Should a solution emerge and Abramovich stick to his pledge, the new regime would not have to deal with the backlog of cash, leading chiefs of rival Premier League clubs to raise concerns over the potentially advantageous situation.

The Telegraph report that in a call convened by the league on Monday afternoon, representatives of the other 19 clubs were updated on the Blues' situation by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck. The general consensus from rivals was that Abramovich's successor could benefit from not having to repay the £1.5bn, which has been racked up since the 55-year-old bought the Blues for £140million in 2003, before super-charging them to the top of world football.

Buck went on to confirm that Chelsea had enough financial rescuers to complete the season and would not go into administration. Any bids to buy the club must be submitted by the close of play on Friday to Raine Group in New York, who is tasked with overseeing the process.

Once the offers are in, the terms of a government licence will dictate how things proceed. A consortium of US investor Todd Boehly, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and British property developer Jonathan Goldstein are the current favourites, but Nick Candy and Saudi Media Group are also in the running.

Both the Premier League and government are keen for a sale to be completed swiftly and avoid compounding political scrutiny. It is added that Premier League policy director Helen MacNamara will appear in front of a select Department of Digital, Media, Culture, Sport committee to discuss football's response to the Ukraine crisis and disinformation surrounding Russia.

Chelsea's predicament has seen the topic of sportwashing thrust into the spotlight, with manager Thomas Tuchel constantly facing probes over both the club's future and Abramovich's ties to Putin. But the German tactician has insisted that his focus remains on dealing with the Blues' day-to-day situation in footballing terms.

"It's the same situation as in the last days. There is no update or other feeling around [Cobham]," Tuchel told a news conference on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Lille. "We have to deal with it. There are things to talk about, like how to arrive at games.

"Things that are normally taken care of, but now we have to stick together, give our opinions, and then we have to find solutions. There are subjects we don't usually discuss but now we will." He added: "A need owner needs to arrive, to be approved, and then own the club. Then we discuss it.

"There is a process how you become an owner in this league, and of course, as I said after the last game, everybody relies on the process and the values which are behind the decisions and allowances to run a club. Did I have a choice to take this role [over the last two weeks]? No, but it is day-by-day.

"Not a lot of people in England are talking at a club. It is something I appreciate that we keep it inside. I try to be honest, give you an insight, and give you information from a coach's heart. This is what I try and what you can rely on."

Regarding the off-pitch uncertainty, forward Kai Havertz admitted: "We are all professionals. Everyone knows it's a strange situation for everyone at the club. We are the players and have to focus on the matches. That's all we can do.

"The other stuff the club has to sort out themselves. It's not for the players. I can't speak about it too much because we are focused on the games and that is what is important for us at the moment."

Edited March 18, 2022 by Vesper

[ChelseaFanUK 1,014]

I've always thought Boehly would win, but the amount of "PR" from that camp is huge, its like Candy's bid.  Lot of media talk; and sometimes the ones shouting the most, is because they are desperate

 

As said before "the serious bidders dont usually do much talking, they stay quiet"

 

Something nagging is now telling me Boehly will be 2nd, and ricketts/griffin are ahead.   Yes, they have horrible history with remarks re. muslims etc, but i bet all bidders do if you look hard enough.

And i do not believe the Mail article re. Muslim players being against their takeover, the Mail would never have printed that if it wasnt for Twitter finding old stories from previous tweets.  Funny how a lot of these "inside scoops" come after twitter finds something, isnt it?

Saudi Media's bid wont be beaten if true, but I stil need convincing theyve definitely bid haha

Edited March 18, 2022 by ChelseaFanUK