Roman Abramovich (59), who was forced to leave Chelsea, is still making headlines with his enduring affection for the club.
The British 'Daily Mail' introduced some content from the newly published book 'Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC' on the 10th (Korea time).
This book contains Abramovich's feelings after being forced to sell Chelsea due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and having to leave the football world unexpectedly.
Chelsea, during Roman Abramovich's era, lasted for 19 years from 2003 to 2022. It is also regarded as the most successful and innovative period in the club's history.
After acquiring Chelsea, Abramovich made significant investments, establishing the club as a major player and setting the standard for modern football. Based on this, Chelsea won a total of 21 trophies, including five Premier League titles, two UEFA Champions League titles, five FA Cups, and three League Cups.
As a club representing England and Europe, Chelsea has been led by renowned managers such as Antonio Conte, Thomas Tuchel, and taxes Mourinho, with legends like Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, Eden Hazard, N'Golo Kanté, and John Terry contributing to its success.
The former Chelsea owner Abramovich said, "Perhaps someday I will have the opportunity to say goodbye at the stadium. But nothing beyond that," he said, adding, "I have no intention of being involved with any football club again. Certainly not in a professional capacity."
He continued, "If there are initiatives that could be helpful, I might participate in activities that provide more opportunities for youth academies or children in difficult situations." However, he emphasized, "But not in ownership or professional club management in this lifetime."
Abramovich also noted, "There is a Russian proverb that says, 'A dog barks, but the caravan moves on.' This fits my situation perfectly," adding, "Whatever I do, people always accuse me of having some ulterior motive. But I was just trying to help."
Chelsea was sold in May 2022 for approximately £2.5 billion (about 4.6 trillion won), and the proceeds are frozen in a charity fund account to support war victims.
Meanwhile, the same book revealed that Sir Jim Ratcliffe (73), co-owner of Manchester United and the richest person in Britain, attempted to intercept the acquisition of Chelsea.
According to the book, Sir Ratcliffe called Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck to request an urgent meeting the day after the 1-1 draw between Manchester United and Chelsea in the 37th round of the Premier League in April 2022. He claimed, while thumping his chest, "I have a Chelsea acquisition proposal in my pocket," but he did not actually present the proposal.
He emphasized that he was a bidder composed only of pure British capital, appealing to patriotism; however, the Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium had already been selected as the preferred bidder.
Ultimately, Sir Ratcliffe's late bid of £4.25 billion (about 7.8 trillion won) was not accepted, and Chelsea was sold to the Boehly side. It is rumored that such actions by Sir Ratcliffe sparked anger among other bidders.
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