Chelsea FC: Life after Abramovich and the Top 4 Surprise Candidates Shortlisted
CHELSEA ON THE BRINK
As days pass, Chelsea Football Club has started to plan life after Roman Abramovich. There is an old saying that no one is bigger than the club, not even the club’s owner.
After the sanctions imposed by the UK government, Chelsea looks to part ways with the Russian Billionaire after 19 years. As per the sanctions, Roman’s assets remain frozen in the UK.
On the other hand, Chelsea FC cannot negotiate their players’ or managers’ contracts, so Thomas Tuchel is one of the big names likely to leave. A year after leading the club to their second Champions League title.
Considering recent success under the Russian, it feels like the club will struggle to find an equally capable man like him. However, the current European champions have shortlisted four contenders to take over from Abramovich in recent weeks.
According to recent reports, Chelsea has progressed to the next round of the takeover process.
As the sale of the current European champions goes into the later stages of the takeover, there is still a quartet of options in the mix. Let us look at the possible options and who might be the frontrunner to become the next owner of this prestigious club.
Todd Boehly
One of the leading candidates is Todd Boehly, the current Los Angeles Dodgers owner. Alongside Boehly, Hansjorg Wyss, and Jonathan Goldstein are names floating around.
Boehly would closely watch Chelsea’s quarter-final against Real Madrid next week, according to the recent reports.
He wants the club to be committed and show why they are the current European champions. Last season, The Londoners beat the 13-time European champions in the semi-finals with a 3-1 aggregate.
And the exciting thing is that the businessman has already expressed interest in the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge, among other plans to improve.
Hansjorg Wyss
For those who don’t know, Wyss is a billionaire from Switzerland, whereas Goldstein is a British entrepreneur. Alongside Roger Federer, Wyss is one of the wealthiest businessmen from Switzerland.
Out of all the names mentioned, Wyss is the only one who has expressed strong interest in buying the club. According to the reports, Wyss has the ambitions to achieve more with the Londoners than Abramovich did.
Even though Wyss has been an environmentalist and holds a strong interest in Swiss politics, an entry into the world of sports beckons for the Swiss.
And there is nothing better than European football as your first encounter with the beautiful game.
Stephen Pagliuca
The third name doing circles around Stamford Bridge is Stephen Pagliuca, the current owner of Atalanta FC.
From reports, Chelsea has set their sight on the situation of the Italian club, which is fast becoming one of the prominent teams in Italy. Last season, Atalanta reached the Coppa Italia final, losing a close final to Juventus.
With the way Atalanta has progressed in recent years despite the low investment, the London club is willing to incorporate that module. Despite Chelsea’s record investment since Abramovich’s takeover, they would be willing to invest in the youth and bring the players from the academy.
After all, we had already seen how brilliant their youth players were when Frank Lampard was the manager during their transfer ban.
Harris Blitzer
The fourth name on the shortlist is Harris Blitzer, part-owner of Crystal Palace FC.
According to the reports, Blitzer has received the backing of Sir Martin Broughton, former Liverpool chairman, and Lord Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics.
The American remains a frontrunner alongside fellow businessman Todd Boehly as both remain ready to fork out more than £3 billion.
The Wildcard
The Ricketts family, owners of the Chicago Cubs MLB franchise, also find themselves in the mix.
But they are comfortably the most unpopular ones due to their questionable past, with Islamophobic and racist comments resurfacing from 2010.
After releasing a statement recently about fans’ outrage and committing to promoting diversity, it feels like the Family is ready to move into the world of European football.
But are the club fans ready to welcome them? That remains another story.
Conclusion: A clear Strategy
Seeing the four contenders for this takeover, it is clear that the London club wants to stay away from controversy.
The fact that Saudi Media Group is out of contention despite a strong bid proves the direction they are headed.
As days go on, we will see a new face as the President of Chelsea is appointed, and we will know more about the club’s direction in the years to come.
