Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea, is waiting for new owners. (JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)
After about 20 days of scrutiny, the English Premier League on Tuesday approved the purchase of Chelsea soccer club by an American consortium led by the businessman. Todd Boehleyco-owner of the LA Dodgers baseball team, and paid a huge amount to succeed the Russian tycoon Roman Abramovichwhich was sanctioned by London as a result of his relationship with Vladimir Putin, after his country’s invasion of Ukraine.
On May 7, this consortium offered £ 4.25 billion (4,970 million euros or 5,320 million dollars, depending on its conversion) for the acquisition of the London club, defensive champion in the Champions League until next Saturday and third in the Premier League which ended last weekend.
Todd Boehly, one of Chelsea’s new owners. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
The sale is pending agreement with the British governmentPremier League organizers recalled in a press release.
Earlier, Prime Minister’s spokesman Boris Johnson said the government “he worked closely with the club” to close the sale.
In the global storm that has emerged since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Abramovich has put the club up for sale March 2asserts that fact I will not claim the repayment of loans contracted by the club throughout his 19 years in leadership, and all benefits of the operation will go to victims of war.
At the end of a lengthy auction process involving various groups, Boehly and his investment partners were selected by New York bank Raine Group, which oversaw the sale.
The stage of Russian capitals ended in Chelsea. (JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)
Investors are also included mark walterco-owner of the Dodgers, the Los Angeles baseball franchise, and Swiss millionaire Hansjoerg Wyssfounder of medical equipment manufacturing company Synthes, and the American investment company Clearlake Capital.
Abramovich acquired the ‘Blues’ in 2003 for 140 million pounds ($ 175 million). Since then, it has become a major club at the national and European level, from being a second level club in English football, five Premier Leagues Y two Champions League (2012, 2021).
Of the total investment made, 3,000 million dollars will be applied to buy parts of the club and such income will be deposited into a fixed bank account in the United Kingdom with the aim of donating 100% to charitable activities, as confirmed by Abramovich.
The new owners agreed not to sell the majority stake in the club until 2032 and provided guarantees on dividends and debt.
Said the consortium will provide 2,160 million dollars to invest in the club of the Premier League, including “investments in Stamford Bridge, the club’s youth divisions, the women’s team and the Chelsea Foundation”.
Chelsea’s announcement via its social networks
With information from the AFP.
Source: Clarin
