Wyss ‘driven by’ Abramovich scorn as Chelsea takeover nears

Will Ford
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich walks across the pitch

Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss is ‘driven by a lack of respect ‘for Roman Abramovich as his takeover of Chelsea ‘could be announced as early as Monday’.

Abramovich announced that he has put Chelsea up for sale on Wednesday, with the Russian oligarch said to have set a £3billion asking price while also writing off the £1.5billion debt the club owe him.


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Wyss claimed earlier that he had been approached to buy the club as part of a consortium which includes LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly, who has previously shown interest in buying the west London club.

Blick (via Sport Witness) now confirm the 86-year-old’s ‘interest in buying’ the club after he and Boehly found ‘additional partners’, meaning the consortium is ‘complete’,

They are already in negotiations with American bank the Raine Group, tasked with handling the sale of Chelsea, and want to ‘oust’ Abramovich ‘as soon as possible’.

Blick add that the group is ‘confident’ progress can be made over the weekend and the ‘deal could be announced as early as Monday’.

The report was written by Nicola Imfeld, who provided additional details on why Wyss holds an interest in buying Chelsea from Abramovich.

The journalist claimed Wyss is ‘driven by’ scorn for Abramovich and warned that he’s not someone who will ‘open his wallet’ in the same way as his predecessor.

“Mr. Wyss is a true westerner by heart. If it would be on him, neutral Switzerland would position itself even more clear in the political West. I think that plays a real role here. Wyss is driven by ideology,” Imfeld said.

“He sees Russian oligarch Abramovich with apparent contacts to Putin, who is currently waging a war in Ukraine. Having the chance now to rid Chelsea of such a person, for whom Wyss doesn’t have much respect, drives him.

“What does this mean for Chelsea? Wyss is in this aspect a typical Swiss. Cautious, humble, acting with prudence. He won’t see Chelsea as his toy & open his wallet. It’s certainly not in the identity of Wyss to ‘buy’ the Champions League. Keep in mind though that it’s not him alone bidding for Chelsea.”