”The sale of the Club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process. I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid. This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and Club. Moreover, I have instructed my team to set up a charitable foundation where all net proceeds from the sale will be donated. The foundation will be for the benefit of all victims of the war in Ukraine. This includes providing critical funds towards the urgent and immediate needs of victims, as well as supporting the long-term work of recovery.”
Statement from Roman Abramovich.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) March 2, 2022
Saudi bid latest
A whole host of speculation has since spread surrounding the ownership situation in west London, with several high-profile investors understood to have made clear their interest in taking Chelsea off the hands of Roman Abramovich.
And, as alluded to above, on Saturday, a fresh insight into the efforts of one such suitor has been provided.
The info centers on a bid put forth by the cash-laden Saudi Media Group of Saudi Arabia.
Amid concerns that the SMG had missed the deadline set out at Stamford Bridge, it has been assured by a number of reliable sources that, in fact, a proposal was tabled for full control of Chelsea Football Club.
The offer, in turn, is set to be taken into consideration over the coming days, with Saudi Media remaining a ‘serious contender’ to set up camp in the English capital ahead of next season:
Saudi Media put their bid in for Chelsea last night. More on @GoalNews: https://t.co/ulBW2bSBXt #CFC https://t.co/te4sQw1FkN
— Nizaar Kinsella (@NizaarKinsella) March 19, 2022
This notion Saudi Media Group ‘missed’ their bidding deadline is not only incorrect but fails to understand the intricacies of how this type of sale works. SMG have bid and remain a serious contender to buy Chelsea.
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) March 19, 2022