Jim Ratcliffe retains an interest in buying Chelsea. He has so far balked at an asking price of at least £2.5 billion. Whilst Chelsea say the club is not for sale, Roman Abramovich has become a detached figure and has withdrawn plans for a stadium rebuild (Times)
Roman Abramovich has been absent from London this year after being refused an extension on his visa – meaning he’s been running Chelsea from Russia or delegating decisions to those around him.
Britain’s richest man SIR JIM RATCLIFFE will seal a deal to buy TEAM SKY (it will become TEAM INEOS) today AND is contemplating making a BID to Roman ABRAMOVICH to buy CHELSEA F.C. (it will cost c. £2.5 billion). Ratcliffe is worth around £21 billion & lives in Monaco.— geoff parmiter (@parmitg) March 19, 2019
He’s been rarely seen at Stamford Bridge this year and other unconfirmed reports suggest that he’s fallen out of love with the west London club and would be willing to sell in the near future.
British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Failing to secure permission to build a new stadium, plus the transfer ban that the Blues face are two factors that have apparently contributed to his mood, per The Mirror.
That’s not great news for Chelsea fans, especially after how much success Abramovich has brought since taking ownership of the club in 2003.
And according to The Times, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe is now very interested in buying the club and ‘may bid for Chelsea’.
The report suggests that the UK’s wealthiest man is exploring whether to purchase the team, but ‘has balked at an asking price of at least £2.5 billion’.
The Mirror adds that Ratcliffe is a season ticket holder at Stamford Bridge and is keen to make Chelsea his next sporting adventure after agreeing on a deal to buy Team Sky.
A deal between the two tycoons is far from complete – but should Chelsea change hands, it would send shockwaves through the football world.