Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has spoken publicly for the first time in three years, firmly ruling out any return to football ownership following his forced sale of the club in 2022.
Abramovich relinquished control of Chelsea in March 2022 amid mounting pressure over his alleged ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, which led to sanctions by the UK government. He sold the club to the Todd Boehly–Clearlake Capital consortium for £2.5 billion in May of that year.
In Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC, a new book by Nick Purewal and quoted by the Daily Mail, Abramovich said he has no interest in returning to a professional football role.
He said: “I don’t have any interest in any role in a football club, certainly not a professional role. There might be something where I could help with academies and youngsters… But as for ownership or a professional role at a club, I am done with that in this lifetime.”
Abramovich also expressed a desire to return to Stamford Bridge in the future for a proper farewell, but nothing beyond that.
“Perhaps one day there would be a situation where I could attend a match and say a proper goodbye, but nothing more than that,” he said.
The £2.5 billion proceeds from the Chelsea sale remain frozen in a UK account, intended for humanitarian aid related to the war in Ukraine. However, disagreements over how the funds should be distributed have stalled progress.
Last week, UK ministers Rachel Reeves and David Lammy said they were frustrated by the delay and threatened legal action to ensure the funds reach Ukrainian war victims.
“We are fully prepared to pursue this through the courts if required,” they said.
Abramovich, however, believes the funds should benefit all victims of the conflict, including those in Russia.
“There is an old Russian saying, ‘The dogs bark but the caravan keeps moving,’ and that fits here. Whatever I do, people will always accuse me of some kind of agenda. In the end, I have done what I have done simply to try to help.”
During his 19-year tenure at Chelsea, Abramovich oversaw a trophy-laden era, with the club winning 21 major titles, including five Premier League championships, two Champions League trophies, and a Club World Cup.
