Roman Abramovich breaks silence on forced sale of Chelsea

Roman Abramovich, the former Chelsea owner, has expressed a desire to return to Stamford Bridge one day to say a proper farewell but insists he has no intention of owning a football club again. 

The Russian billionaire oversaw Chelsea’s most successful era after taking control of the West London club in 2003.

During his tenure, Chelsea claimed five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, and their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2012, followed by a second in 2021.

However, Abramovich was forced to sell the club in 2022 after being sanctioned by the UK government in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The club was subsequently sold to a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in a £4.25 billion deal.

Reflecting on his departure in the new book Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC, Abramovich shared his hopes of one day returning simply to say goodbye. “Perhaps one day there will be a chance for me to attend a match and say a proper farewell, but nothing more,” he said, as reported by the Daily Mail.

“I have no interest in holding any professional role at a football club. Maybe I could support youth initiatives or academies that give opportunities to underprivileged kids, but as far as club ownership or any formal involvement goes—I'm finished with that.”

Following the Chelsea sale, Abramovich was expected to direct £2.5 billion of the proceeds toward humanitarian aid for Ukraine. However, that money remains frozen in a UK bank account. The British government has now threatened legal action if an agreement isn't reached.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy issued a joint statement saying: “We are committed to ensuring the proceeds from Chelsea's sale benefit humanitarian causes in Ukraine. We are frustrated that no agreement has been reached with Mr Abramovich so far. While negotiations remain open, we are prepared to take this to court if necessary.”

Abramovich brushed off the criticism. “There’s an old Russian saying: ‘The dogs bark, but the caravan keeps moving.’ That seems fitting here,” he told author Nick Purewal. “Whatever I do, people will always suspect some hidden motive. I’ve only ever tried to help.”

Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel recently revealed that Abramovich remains bitter about how he lost the club. “It’s really unfortunate what happened. Losing Chelsea still pains him,” Mikel said. “I’ve spoken to people close to him—he’s angry and heartbroken. That club was his baby. He didn’t just care about the players, he cared about the fans too.”