Roman Abramovich has truly shifted gears since he sold Chelsea.
After selling Chelsea, Roman Abramovich is living a new life
Roman Abramovich first bought Chelsea back in 2003. He turned a solid club into a monster of a football club. It was a team filled with winners who won titles and dominated football in Europe. His strong decisions on managers may have been harsh but they won trophies.
That golden era came to an end in 2022. That is following sanctions tied to Russia’s war in Ukraine forced him to sell the club for a record £4.25 billion. Since then, Chelsea’s fortunes have been rocky under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
Despite splashing cash left and right, the Blues endured two chaotic seasons. That also includes a 12th-place league finish, before finding some stability with Enzo Maresca. Fans can’t help but compare the messy new era with what Abramovich built.
The Russian billionaire now has a diminished lifestyle. He is a world traveler with privately owned luxury yachts and winter homes in the Caribbean. He is now limited to Turkey because of travel bans from the US and EU. Now, he has made Istanbul his main base. His prized £600m yacht, the Solaris, sits docked in Marmaris, barely touched.
Although, still worth close to £8 billion, Abramovich’s world is smaller, quieter, and very different.
Rumours, restrictions, and reality
Talk of him buying another club refuses to die, with Istanbul’s giants linked, but those rumours have been rubbished. Instead, Abramovich splits time between Sochi, Istanbul, and Tel Aviv. He continues to live well, away from the limelight of football.
It has been reported that he still possesses a covert role in some diplomacy around the globe. He wanted to come back to Stamford Bridge to thank the fans for Chelsea. But, it seems he has been sanctioned out of that opportunity and a proper goodbye.
Adding to the saga, the UK government is now pressing him over the frozen funds from the Chelsea sale. They are insisting the money must go to Ukraine relief.
Author’s Opinion:
Abramovich built Chelsea into a top club, and the west London side hasn’t looked the same without him. He might have cut ties with the Blues, but his shadow still looms over Stamford Bridge.
