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Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has revealed he has no interest in taking on any professional role at any football club. The Russian oligarch was the owner of the west London club for almost two decades. He bought it in 2003, but was forced to sell it in 2022 due to alleged ties with Vladimir Putin following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Since parting ways with Chelsea, Abramovich has yet to set foot at Stamford Bridge, as he’s lived a secretive life away from the spotlight. Now, three years after his forced sale of the club, the 58-year-old has now spoken for the first time.
In a new book titled Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC, Roman Abramovich stated that he has no intention of buying the west London club or any other again. He added that he would love to return to Stamford Bridge to say a “proper goodbye” to fans. He said (via Mirror):
“Perhaps one day there would be a situation where I could attend a match and say a proper goodbye, but nothing more than that. I don’t have any interest in any role in a football club, certainly not a professional role.
"There might be something where I could help with academies and youngsters, giving greater opportunities to people from difficult backgrounds, if there were an initiative that could make a difference. But as for ownership or a professional role at a club, I am done with that in this lifetime."
While Roman Abramovich has parted ways with Chelsea, the £2.5 billion proceeds from the sale of the club remain in a frozen UK bank account. The latest report is that the UK government are yet to reach an agreement with the Russian, who said those proceeds will go to humanitarian causes in Ukraine.
In Abramovich’s 19 years as owner at Stamford Bridge, the club enjoyed a huge era of success, winning 21 major trophies, which include the UEFA Champions League and the Premier League.
“Whatever I do, people will always accuse me” – Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich says he won’t allow accusations to distract him
Speaking further in the soon-to-be-released book, Roman Abramovich insisted that he won’t be distracted by the accusations towards him, including those from the UK government.
He said:
"There is an old Russian saying, 'The dogs bark but the caravan keeps moving,' and that fits here, Whatever I do, people will always accuse me of some kind of agenda. In the end, I have done what I have done simply to try to help.”
Chelsea are currently owned by a consortium headed by American businessman Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital co-founder Behdad Eghbali.
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Ezekiel Olamide
Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.
An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel's journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles' fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium's incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.
Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.
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Edited by Sudeshna Banerjee