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Hansjorg Wyss, a Swiss billionaire, has claimed that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has offered the Premier League club to several potential buyers.
The Russian billionaire is under pressure to sell his assets in the United Kingdom amid the Ukraine-Russia crisis. Abramovich is believed to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and has come under intense scrutiny ever since the conflict in Ukraine began. There are calls for sanctions against him, and he is looking to get his assets freed before they get frozen.
On February 26, Abramovich announced that he was handing over the 'stewardship and care' of Chelsea to the club’s charitable foundation.
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Wyss was speaking with Blick, a Swiss newspaper, when he confirmed he was among the people who were offered the English club. He said:
"Abramovich is one of Putin's closest advisers and friends. Like all other oligarchs, he is also in a state of panic. Abramovich is trying to sell all his properties in England. He also wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly. I and three other people received an offer on Tuesday to buy the club from Abramovich."
When asked if he would be interested in buying the club, Wyss claimed Abramovich was "asking for too much." However, he has not ruled out getting into the mix with a consortium:
"I have to wait four or five days now. Abramovich is currently asking far too much. You know Chelsea owe him £2 billion? But Chelsea has no money, which means that whoever buys the club has to compensate Abramovich. As of today, we don't know the exact selling price. I can well imagine starting at Chelsea with partners, but I have to examine the general conditions first. But what I can say for sure is that I'm definitely not doing something like this alone. If I buy the club, then it would be with a consortium consisting of six or seven investors."
What next for Chelsea?
Thomas Tuchel's side face Luton Town in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday night and will be looking to bounce back with a win.
The Blues lost Sunday's Carabao Cup final to Liverpool 10-11 on penalties. The victory saw the Reds lift their first silverware of the current season and a record-breaking ninth League Cup.
Burnley are up next for the Stamford Bridge outfit in the Premier League (March 5). Tuchel's men are looking to get back into the title race but find themselves 16 points adrift of league leaders Manchester City, with two games in hand.
