Saudi consortium enters race to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich

Chelsea have attracted interest from Saudi Media (a Saudi Arabia consortium) as potential new owners of the club. They are currently one of the 10 most serious candidates thought to be a part of the race to buy the current European champions.

Why is Abramovich selling Chelsea?

Chelsea's current boss Roman Abramovich put the club up for sale last week amidst backlash from the UK government over the current war between Russia and Ukraine.

Due to Abramovich's past ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the UK government is considering sanctions on the billionaire. It is part of a mass-adopted strategy implemented by Western countries to weaken Russia's efforts while they invade Ukraine.

In light of such events, Abramovich, who has a house and a club in England, has put both up for sale. He bought the club for £140 million back in 2003 and after spending close to £1.5 billion at the club, he is now ready to sell it for £3 billion.

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Who are the potential buyers?

The joint US-Swiss venture of Todd Boehley and Hansjorg Wyss is thought to be the frontrunners in the chase to buy the club. Turkish tycoon Muhsin Bayrak is also a serious candidate.

The arrival of the Saudi consortium, however, could change the odds. Saudi media has a pan-Arab broadcasting market. They have sports and marketing investments in Dubai, UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Can Saudi Media buy the west London club?

Newcastle United was bought by the Saudi PIF last year. However, it was certainly not a regular process. Amnesty International implored the Premier League to review the feasibiity of the takeover by citing problematic Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

Despite some scrutiny, the takeover went ahead. Whether Saudi Media will face similar problems remains to be seen.

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Chelsea looking to salvage their season

The Blues are currently third in the Premier League table. They recently lost the Carabao Cup final to Liverpool on penalties.

With their chances of winning the league next to none, the Blues will be looking to bag the FA Cup trophy and make a deep run atleast in the Champions League this season.

About the author

Diptanil is a European football journalist and sports editor at Sportskeeda. He completed his Master’s in Sports Management from Coventry University and has a total work experience of 7 years. A true expert of the beautiful game, Diptanil also studies the sport from the data analytics perspective.

Diptanil focuses on in-depth research, objective writing, and cultural sensitivity when creating content, and always strives to give his readers something new to take away from each of his articles. His ability to streamline information and let it reach a natural conclusion as opposed to telling a story with a pre-fixed narrative sets him apart from other journalists.

He became a fan of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea after their record-breaking 2004-05 season and their 2008-09 Champions League semifinal defeat was a bittersweet learning experience for him. Diptanil’s favorite player is Frank Lampard who is known for his hard work and dedication as a football professional. He loves how his favorite manager Carlo Ancelotti strikes a fine balance in keeping the game both player-oriented and data-driven.

Outside of Europe's top five leagues, Diptanil follows Liga Portugal, the Indian Super League, and Saudi Pro League. His other interests include doing charity work, watching period dramas, and world politics.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava

Saudi consortium enters race to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich - Reports

Why is Abramovich selling Chelsea?

Who are the potential buyers?

Can Saudi Media buy the west London club?

Chelsea looking to salvage their season