"Gave us two decades of happiness and pride, One of the best sporting owners" - Chelsea fans thank Roman Abramovich after sale of club gets confirmed

Chelsea have found new owners - a Todd Boehly-led consortium - as current owner Roman Abramovich ends his 19-year long tenure with the club. After the news broke on Friday, May 6, Blues fans welcomed the new owners and thanked Abramovich for his contribution.

The Russian took over the club in 2003 and has won 21 major trophies, including the FIFA Club World Cup in February. He has invested heavily in the club, bringing in world-class players and managers to help bring success to Chelsea.

However, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in March, the UK government put sanctions on the billionaire. Hence, the sale of the club was inevitable.

The Stamford Bridge faithful were glum to see Abramovich leave, taking to Twitter to express their gratitude for all he did for the club.

Abramovich also waved off a £1.6 billion loan the club owed him to make the sale more feasible. It's truly the end of one of the most successful owner-club partnerships.

Todd Boehly-led consortium to take Chelsea forward now

The Todd Boehly-led consortium is co-owned by LA Dodgers owners Boehly and Mark Walter, Clearlake Capital, and Swiss billionaire Hansjoerg Wyss. The deal was signed for around £4.25 billion, as shared by Chelsea's official website.

The money will be divided into £2.5 billion and £1.75 billion. The former will be used to buy the club's shares, which will be deposited in a charity fund. That will be used for donations as was decided by the previous owner, Abramovich.

The £1.75 billion part of the deal will go towards the investment in the club, Stamford Bridge, Women's team, Academy and the Chelsea Foundation.

It's truly a historic moment for the club as they are set to undergo a major change. The sanctions put in by the UK government have hampered them for weeks.

They were not able to sign new players or renew the contracts of existing ones. They were barred from making any revenue, be it tickets or other sales. That perhaps also affected their performances on the pitch as they have struggled in recent games. However, they might now be able to focus on moving the club forward with a renewed vigor.

Boehly is the co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team and also the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team. Blues fans will hope his history in sports might help him scale the club to new heights.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 3 years. He boasts a total experience of over 6 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

Know More