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Tag: Roman Abramovich

  • UK govt orders Chelsea fans to stop chanting Abramovich’s name

    UK govt orders Chelsea fans to stop chanting Abramovich’s name

    Chelsea fans must stop the “completely inappropriate” chanting of Russian owner Roman Abramovich’s name, the spokesman for the UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

    Blues supporters again expressed their backing for Abramovich during Sunday’s home match against Newcastle United.

    This was after he was sanctioned by the British Government last week over his ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

    Abramovich’s assets were frozen, with Chelsea placed under a special licence which allows them to operate but unable to generate new revenue.

    The billionaire has brought unprecedented success to Chelsea since he bought the club in 2003.

    But Boris Johnson’s official spokesman insists supporters should not let that blind them to Abramovich’s association to the man leading the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    “We recognise the strength of feeling around people’s clubs, but that does not excuse behaviour which is completely inappropriate at this time,” Janes Slack said.

    “I think people can show passion and support for their club without resorting to that sort of stuff.”

    The Government has said it is still “open” to Chelsea being sold but that a new application would be needed to enable a sale.

    So far, Slack said, the club had not applied for a variation to its strict special licence.

    “We are open to the sale of the club, we would consider an application for a licence to allow that to happen in the right circumstances,” the spokesman said.

    “But it is for Chelsea to determine the exact process. My understanding is potential buyers would approach the club, who would then need to apply for a further amended licence to facilitate the sale.

    “As far as I’m aware that hasn’t happened at this point.”

    Abramovich first put the club up for sale on March 2 and a number of interested parties are understood to remain in the frame in spite of the imposition of sanctions.

    These include British billionaire Nick Candy, a consortium featuring Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, plus interest from former Liverpool chairman Martin Broughton.

    The Government will oversee the sale process to ensure there is no benefit to Abramovich, with New York merchant bank the Raine Group handling the sale.

  • Abramovich alleged secret romance with 25yrs TV star

    Abramovich alleged secret romance with 25yrs TV star

    Dad of seven and Chelsea’s owner, Roman Abramovich, has been romantically linked to an entrepreneur and TV star, Ms Alexandra Korendyuk, 25, who has Ukrainian family roots.

     

    It was gathered that Korendyuk appeared in a Russian show titled “You’re All P***ing Me Off.”

     

    The 55-year-old Abramovich was recently disqualified as a director of the club by the Premier League.

     

    Russian gossip columnist, Bozhena Rynska, had first revealed that Abramovich was due to wed his third wife, Dasha Zhukova, who he was married to from 2008 to 2018.

     

    Alexandra is said to be the founder of the Institute of Music Initiatives, which helps upcoming musicians.

     

    Rynska first reported that Red Rom was romantically involved with her last October, four months before the invasion of Ukraine.

     

    She said: “Roman Abramovich’s new girlfriend is very interesting. At the beginning of the year, rumours started that the oligarch’s heart had been won over by Alexandra Korendyuk.

     

    “There is very little information about the girl, but it is said that she is the founder of a company in the music industry. Abramovich’s date has also tried her hand as an actress.”

     

    She played a hostess in two episodes of the Moscow-based series.

     

    Regional experts say her surname links to her having Ukrainian family roots.

     

    A source added: “It is ironic Abramovich has been linked with a lady with a Ukrainian background just as he’s been sanctioned because of the war and his links to Putin.

     

    “It is easy to see what he would see in her and this is apparently a relationship that has been going on for up to a year.”

     

    In 2018, Red Rom was linked to Russian ballerina Diana Vishneva, 45, with reports suggesting she had “conquered his heart”.

     

    He was said to have become “transfixed” by her dancing performances and used his private Boeing 767-33AER to fly to remote Perm in the Ural Mountains so he could watch her.

     

    But his spokesman dismissed claims of a romance with Vishneva, who is married and later gave birth to a son, as “nonsense”.

     

    It comes as we can reveal Abramovich’s UK homes could be seized and used to house Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war.

     

    Abramovich was worth £9.4billion before last week’s tough sanctions by the UK Government.

     

    They have frozen his assets, barred him from making money and stopped him selling Chelsea — leaving the club’s future in limbo.

     

    Abramovich, whose investment vehicle MHC is run from offices at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge ground, has dozens of properties in the UK, Russia, US, France and Israel.

     

    His most valuable London property is a 15-bedroom mansion in Kensington, close to the Russian embassy and worth £150million. He also has a three-storey penthouse in Chelsea Waterfront Tower, which overlooks Stamford Bridge and cost him £30million in 2018.

     

    When he divorced his second wife Irina Malandina, mum to five of his children, in 2007, Abramovich is said to have transferred three properties in West Sussex and London to her.

     

    One of those, a five-storey ¬Georgian townhouse in Chester Square in London’s Belgravia, is thought to have been used by two of his children recently.

     

    Another of his daughters, Sofia, 27, is said to use the West Sussex mansion and has posted glamorous holiday snaps from the Caribbean.

     

    She also put an anti-war message on Instagram, saying: “The biggest and most successful of Kremlin’s propaganda is that most Russians stand with Putin.”

     

    But the family’s comfortable UK lifestyle is now under threat as ministers draw up plans to seize British properties owned by Putin-linked oligarchs without paying compensation.

     

    Cabinet sources said Levelling-up Secretary Michael Gove proposed housing Ukrainian refugees in the lavish homes.

     

    On Friday, the oligarch’s whereabouts were unknown, but his £500million superyacht, Solaris, was tracked to Montenegro.

     

    Abramovich, said to have “vetted” Putin when he became Russian Prime Minister in 1999, has vanished from public view with suggestions he is lying low in Moscow.

     

    But there has also been speculation he is in Israel, where he owns a £65million mansion in Herzliya and land outside capital Tel Aviv.

     

    Abramovich was granted Israeli citizenship in 2018.

     

    He was also granted Portuguese citizenship in 2021 and is said to have been spending time there.

  • Hyundai suspends partnership with Chelsea

    Hyundai suspends partnership with Chelsea

    Following sanction of Chelsea’s owner, Roman Abramovich, by the UK Government, car manufacturer Hyundai have become the latest sponsor to suspend its partnership with the club until further notice.

    The South Korean company, Hyundai, has been Chelsea’s ‘official global automotive partner’ since 2018.
    A statement released by Hyundai said: “Hyundai has become one of the strongest partners in football over the years and the company supports the sport to be a force for good.

    “Through our partnership with Chelsea FC, we are proud supporters of the players, the fans and grassroots football.

    “However, in the current circumstances, we have taken the decision to suspend our marketing and communication activities with the Club until further notice.”

     

    The UK Government had sanctioned the Chelsea’s owner over his purported links to Russia President, Vladimir Putin.

     

    The likes of shirt sponsors (Three) sprung into action as a result and suspended its £40million deal with the Blues, while they are understood to still be in discussions about the removal of the logo from strips long-term.

     

    Brands worldwide have been desperate to distance themselves from Russia following Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, which began over two weeks ago.

     

    The situation in Ukraine is deteriorating daily with Putin accused of war crimes after his forces have consistently bombed cities, hitting civilian targets, including a children’s hospital.

     

    However, Trivago announced on Thursday they would continue as training kit sponsors, despite other partners walking away in the wake of the sanctions against Abramovich.

     

    On their deal with Chelsea, Trivago said: “As a global travel brand, we believe in connecting and bringing people together.

     

    “These are values shared by Chelsea, an institution now 117 years old with a tradition so vitally important to its fans and communities and that is why we decided to partner with the club.

     

    “The uncertainty over the ownership situation of Chelsea has been challenging. It is important to us to continue supporting the club, the fans and community. We are looking forward to a transition of ownership as soon as possible.”

     

    Last year, Chelsea made £154million from commercial deals despite the coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, before Covid struck, the club earned £200m in sponsorship.

     

    Abramovich was earlier disqualified as a director of Chelsea and the government have begun negotiations with the oligarch’s advisers over the terms of the sale, which Downing Street is eager to push through as quickly as possible.

     

    A Premier League statement read: “Following the imposition of sanctions by the UK Government, the Premier League Board has disqualified Roman Abramovich as a Director of Chelsea Football Club.

     

    “The Board’s decision does not impact on the club’s ability to train and play its fixtures, as set out under the terms of a licence issued by the Government which expires on 31 May 2022.”

     

    Meanwhile, numerous bidders are willing to pay over £2billion and Abramovich has struck a deal with the Government that will allow the sale to go through.

     

    Originally, Abramovich handed over control of the club to the charity and trustees before annoucing his intention to sell but he has now been backed into a corner.

     

    It was gathered that Chelsea’s owner has agreed to write off loans of over £1.5billion without receiving any of the proceeds.

     

    It is understood he has instructed The Raine Group – the American bank that paused the sale after the Russian was sanctioned – to continue the process of completing a takeover.

     

    The same outlet also claims a deadline of the end of next week, pushed back from Tuesday, has been set for prospective new buyers’ first bids to be submitted, with Abramovich now hoping for a rapid sale and Raine hoping it attracts more bidders.

     

    Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for a reported £140million and his investment resulted in the most successful era in their history as they won five Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League twice.

     

     

  • REVEALED: Saudi Media boss and Chelsea fan set to takeover club

    REVEALED: Saudi Media boss and Chelsea fan set to takeover club

    Saudi Media boss and Chelsea fan Mohamed Alkhereiji is convinced they have the spending power to match the past success of Roman Abramovich.

    Goal says Saudi Media – the biggest media group in the Middle East – are hopeful of completing the takeover of Chelsea.

    The interest is fueled by Alkhereiji, who is also the CEO of its parent company Engineer Holding Group – founded by his father Abdulelah Alkhereiji.

    He obtained an executive master’s degree of business administration from the London-based Business School, formerly Cass and previously worked as an analyst for Deutsche Bank in London.

    Alkhereiji is a fan of Chelsea, and this is his driving interest behind his attempt to buy the club and invest in its infrastructure.

    It is outlined that a major part of their plans to buy the club is their willingness to invest in redeveloping Stamford Bridge and the club’s academy at Cobham Training Centre, as well as the women’s team.

    Saudi Media generate a reported £770million per annum while any attempt to buy the West London club is likely to be supported by a consortium of other private backers from Saudi Arabia.

    It is the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge that is at the heart of their charm offensive, with costs of upgrading the stadium said to cost in the region of £1.5billion.

    Alkhereiji was behind the new, state-of-the-art stadium in Mrsool Park for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr and it is suggested this will be a key factor in convincing the Blues that he is the right investor.

    The report also claims that Saudi Media would prioritise securing new contracts for Chelsea’s first-team players, with Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta among those who are due to become free agents this July.

    Tribalfootball

  • Premier League disqualifies Abramovich as Chelsea director

    Premier League disqualifies Abramovich as Chelsea director

    The Premier League has disqualified Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich as a director of the club.

    This comes after the UK government sanctioned the Russian oligarch and froze his assets.

    A statement from the Premier League on Saturday confirmed Chelsea will still be allowed to play their fixtures despite the announcement.

    “Following the imposition of sanctions by the UK Government, the Premier League Board has disqualified Roman Abramovich as a Director of Chelsea Football Club.

    “The Board’s decision does not impact on the club’s ability to train and play its fixtures, as set out under the terms of a licence issued by the Government which expires on 31 May 2022,” a statement read.

    The Blues welcome Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge in their next league game.

  • EPL: Roman Abramovich clear to sell Chelsea

    EPL: Roman Abramovich clear to sell Chelsea

    Roman Abramovich’s plans to sell Chelsea remains on track.

    The 55-year-old was added to the United Kingdom’s sanctioned individuals list on Thursday in a move which threatened to derail his attempts to offload the club.

    He announced he was ready to end his 19-year tenure at Stamford Bridge at the start of March amid calls for Russian oligarchs to living abroad to face repercussions in the wake of Vladimir Putin ‘s invasion of Ukraine.

    Sanctions imposed on Abramovich left the Blues doubting whether they would be able to finish the season even though they were issued with a sporting license to continue football-related activities.

    However, in a major boost to Chelsea fans, the sale of the club may proceed after a deal was struck with government officials.

    The Telegraph says Abramovich has instructed The Raine Group – the merchant bank overseeing the sale – to continue the process of finding a buyer and completing a takeover.

    The report adds Chelsea and Raine officials have held talks with the government to agree the use of funds raised by the sale, as well as the buyer themselves, will require authorisation from on high.

    A deadline of next Tuesday has been set for first bids to be submitted as Abramovich hopes for a swift sale.

  • Tuchel says Chelsea 3-1 over Norwich is to show the culture of the club is right

    Tuchel says Chelsea 3-1 over Norwich is to show the culture of the club is right

    Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, has described his side’s 3-1 win over Norwich City at Carrow Road, Thursday, as one that, “tells us the culture of the club is right.”

    The victory came barely 24 hours that the UK Government sanctioned Chelsea and its owner, Roman Abramovich, and the win came by Chalobah, Mount and Havertz strike- the club’s fourth Premier League win in a row.

     

    In his words: “Full credit, the team showed very good character and we can be proud that they produced performances like this under the circumstances. It tells us we are right to trust them, that the attitude is right, and the culture of the club is right.

    “I think we were only relieved because of the game. We played a fantastic first half and were 2-0 up, but we played the second half as if we were three or four-nil up.

    “It is never decided in the Premier League at 2-0. We were high enough in control in the first half but the opponent changed things up and was stronger. They had nothing to lose, took more risks and we struggled, we conceded and it was a tight one.

    “Everybody needs to know it is never over and you need to take care of it better. That’s the relief in the end, I think, in general. It is not about the situation because the situation might change again tomorrow, but it won’t go away.”

    Tuchel, who was appointed as head coach on 26 January 2021, noted that there are a lot of different situations to make one not be more focused or motivated, saying “today was another level of distraction and another level of with all that’s happening with the sanctions.

    “In the day-to-day, like how we arrive at the game, everything was organized, it was pretty much business as usual with a lot of noise around, but the schedule of the day helps you.

    “You go into your routine. I’m happy that they showed again that they love to work hard, hard as a team and are able to produce another win away. It is very good and it helps of course.”

  • Three suspends sponsorship of Chelsea jersey

    Three suspends sponsorship of Chelsea jersey

    Three, a mobile phone network firm, has confirmed the suspension of its sponsorship of English Premier League (EPL) side Chelsea.

    This came after Russian owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government following the invasion of Ukraine.

    A Three spokesperson said: “In light of the government’s recently-announced sanctions, we have requested Chelsea Football Club temporarily suspend our sponsorship of the club.

    ”This include the removal of our brand from shirts and around the stadium until further notice.

    “We recognise that this decision will impact the many Chelsea fans who follow their team passionately.

    “However, we feel that given the circumstances, and the Government sanction that is in place, it is the right thing to do.

    “As a mobile network, the best way we can support the people of Ukraine is to ensure refugees arriving in the UK from the conflict and customers currently in Ukraine can stay connected to the people who matter to them.

    “Therefore, we are offering connectivity packages to all Ukrainians arriving in the UK, and those in Ukraine.”

  • EPL: UK government seizes Chelsea from Roman Abramovich

    EPL: UK government seizes Chelsea from Roman Abramovich

    The British Government has seized Chelsea football club from owner Roman Abramovich.

    Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government as part of its response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

    He is one of seven oligarchs to be hit with fresh sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans.

    The list also includes billionaires Igor Sechin and Oleg Deripaska, both seen as allies of Vladimir Putin.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “there can be no safe havens” for those who have supported the invasion.

    “Today’s sanctions are the latest step in the UK’s unwavering support for the Ukrainian people. We will be ruthless in pursuing those who enable the killing of civilians, destruction of hospitals and illegal occupation of sovereign allies,” Johnson said.

    BBC Sport reports the Premier League was informed 15 minutes before it was announced.

    The Government are putting in place a licence to ensure the club can fulfil its fixtures, staff and players can be paid, and as a significant cultural asset that it can continue.

    Season ticket holders can still attend games they have tickets for but club can not now sell any more tickets that haven’t been sold already

    The merchandise shop will be closed.

  • New Chelsea owners won’t match Abramovich spending – Wenger

    New Chelsea owners won’t match Abramovich spending – Wenger

    Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that potential buyers of Chelsea will never meet Roman Abramovich’s spending power.

    The Club World Cup winner are likely to lose the Russian billionaire, who is selling the club as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    The oligarch has set an asking price of around £3 billion for anyone to buy the club, which suggests whoever is the next owner may not be inclined to pour more funds into the team.

    Asked if the new owners are likely to spend big, Wenger told beIN SPORTS: “You cannot. Today you cannot put that money in, privately, that is impossible. It is limited to, I think, £200m over three years. At that time you could put a billion in.

    “I always advised people who wanted to buy football clubs, instead of putting £100m in every year, put £500m in in the first year and buy the right players, then you have a team. He could do that and he did very well and today I think the club is managed very well and is at a top level.”

    He went on to add: “It is still sustainable as a football club today because they are at a good level. But after that when you come in it is down to money and good decisions.

    “Sometimes people have good decisions but no money, sometimes they have money but they make bad decisions. So you have to put the two together.”