Football NewsChelsea is Up For Sale, and Owner Roman Abramovich is Asking £3 Billion for It
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As he seeks proposals for Chelsea, Roman Abramovich wants a minimum of £3 billion to sell the club.

However, there are growing doubts that the Russian magnate will receive even a fraction of that amount.

There’s a feeling that finding an American buyer, possibly through a hedge fund, is the best way to sell. However, given Abramovich’s ties to a Russian dictatorship that has wreaked havoc in Ukraine, interested parties may be hesitant to work with Chelsea. Hansjorg Wyss, a £4.3 billion Swiss businessman, claims he has been approached about buying Chelsea as part of a partnership.

However, considering the tremendous financial demands expected at a club the size of Chelsea, it’s doubtful that a consortium-style takeover would last. Nonetheless, it is evident that Abramovich is planning an exit strategy for Chelsea.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that Abramovich is attempting to sell his London property portfolio.

And, according to claims, the Russian magnate has been spending time in the United Arab Emirates in recent weeks in order to transfer some of his riches there.

However, any chances of a speedy sale of Chelsea remain in jeopardy due to any prospective parties’ refusal to spend anywhere near the £3 billion minimum Abramovich demands.

According to sources, Abramovich feels Chelsea is worth more than £3 billion – possibly £4 billion – but receiving such proposals is unlikely.

It appears that the Russian investor will have to drop his expectations, but it is uncertain whether anyone will be willing to offer as much as the £3 billion that he is considering.

However, Wyss, the Swiss billionaire who created medical equipment company Synthes USA, stressed that he could only contemplate a Chelsea transaction with a small group of investors.

‘I can easily see myself starting at Chelsea with partners,’ Wyss remarked. ‘However, I must first assess the broader situation.’ But I can already say this: I’m not going to attempt something like this by myself.

‘If I buy Chelsea, I’ll do so with a group of six or seven investors.’