Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has decided against selling the club, after very impressive start to the 2019/20 season under new manager Frank Lampard.
Abramovich has been the club’s majority shareholder since 2003, but there have been questions over his long-term plans for the club in more recent times.
The 53-year-old has not attended a Chelsea match since the Europa League final in May, while he has also not been seen at Stamford Bridge since he became involved in a feud with the UK government in regard to the renewal of his visa over one year ago.
There were plans to redevelop the stadium, but these were put on hold as a result of the ongoing issues. Despite rumours that Abramovich is looking to sell the club, it has recently been reported that he rejected a big-money offer from the Middle East as he intended to stand firm on his mammoth valuation.
The Telegraph are now reporting that the majority owner is no longer considering offers after an impressive start to the season by Lampard and his youngsters. An associate claimed: “Any Chelsea is off the the table as far as Roman is concerned.
“He is genuinely very pleased with how things are. Chelsea’s academy is being promoted and this is what he has wanted for some time and it’s finally working. [He is] not so bothered about actually winning trophies now, but wants to be up there with a young team playing good football and not costing him a fortune.”
A representative for the Middle Eastern consortium that were previously in discussion over a potential sale claimed that there were obstacles preventing them from striking a deal. The representative claimed: “The price of £2.5bn was not unreasonable, but the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge would have taken years to negotiate and cost us another £1.2bn.
“The situation with the pitch was ultimately the poison pill.”
However, two close associates have claimed that Abramovich has effectively taken the club off the market, while senior officials at the club are also growing optimistic that he will return to the stadium redevelopment despite not being in the country.
The Blues currently sit third in the Premier League, but face a tricky test as they travel to take on Manchester City on Saturday evening.
