ISLAMABAD/LONDON: A group of businessmen led by Javed Afridi, owner of HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchise Peshawar Zalmi, is in talks to buy Chelsea Football Club, a Spanish sports website reported.
The report came hours after Russian businessman and club’s incumbent owner Roman Abramovich said he would sell Chelsea, 19 years after buying it for a reported 140 million pounds and setting the team on a path to sporting glory, and promised to donate money from the sale to help victims of the violence in Ukraine.
Amid growing calls for Abramovich to be hit by sanctions after Russia’s invasion of its neighbour, the metals magnate said in a statement that a sale was in the best interests of the reigning European and world soccer champions.
Pues parece que el pakistaní @JAfridi10 es el primer colocado para intentar comprar el Chelsea a Abramovichhttps://t.co/n4NmTXYpa2
— www.soymadridista.com (@soymadridista) March 2, 2022
Citing a source, Khaleej Times reported a meeting has already taken place. A team representing Afridi “held a meeting this afternoon (Wednesday) with a sports and legal agency in the United Kingdom. There’s a bunch of investors who are interested in Club,” it said.
“They believe it’s the right time and opportunity to invest in football. And someone from Asia should come and invest. They are in negotiation with them right now.”
But the consortium will face stiff competition from Swiss billionaire Hansjoerg Wyss who claimed to have received an offer from Abramovich.
Also in the race to replace Abramovich is American real estate magnate Stephen Ross, Soy Madridista said.
Otro al que le ha sido ofrecido, pero aún no ha respondido, es a Stephen Ross, de Relevent. El precursor de la Superliga original (no la que se presentó el año pasado) https://t.co/6gFLa6yShg
— www.soymadridista.com (@soymadridista) March 2, 2022
The club is now worth more than $3 billion, according to a Forbes estimate from last year. Abramovich is reportedly looking to sell for at least $2.5 billion.
Interested parties have been invited to make official bids by March 15, the Guardian reported.
“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 or money for me, but about pure passion for the game and club,” Abramovich said.
He said the sale was an “incredibly difficult decision” and that “it pains me to part with the club in this manner”.
Interested parties had been looking to move swiftly in case Abramovich is sanctioned by the British government, at which point it is unlikely a sale would be permitted.
It is understood the Raine Group, an American global merchant bank, has been tasked with making the sale.
