The acquisition of Chelsea, which, incidentally, finished fourth in last season's English championship, cost Abramovich 140 million pounds (about $230 million). The Russian businessman undertook to pay off the Londoners' debts, which amount to nearly 80 million, and also spent 59.3 million to buy a controlling stake in the company Chelsea Village, which owns the club.
The BBC described the deal as "the largest in the history of English football." As for Russian football, in this situation there is probably nothing to say. And here in Ukraine, such sums are unlikely to be floating around in football ventures. But here - all for the purchase of a single Chelsea.
What is even more striking is that after the fact of the purchase of the club, which had contributed greatly to the development and prosperity of English football, was made public, Abramovich stated that he, while shopping around, had been choosing among a number of famous English teams. If the governor of Chukotka is to be believed, the list of clubs that interested him included Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur...
"What is going on?" perplexedly asked the fans and ordinary citizens of England and Russia who had received the sensational news. "Where is the world heading?" And indeed, it is quite difficult to believe that in a prosperous and tradition-obsessed England, a club that once won European cups could be sold to a foreign investor. Just as in Russia (and adjacent countries - former neighbors in the Soviet camp) it is difficult to accept that one of ours is capable of pulling off such a stunt.
The deal is accompanied by triumphant statements from Abramovich himself and from the club's former owner - one of the patriarchs of English football business - Ken Bates, who, by the way, remains working at Chelsea. In an official statement published on the Londoners' club website, the 36-year-old Russian businessman is quoted as saying: "We are pleased to confirm the conclusion of the deal to acquire one of the best clubs in Europe. Chelsea is a great team, but we have the resources and ambitions to achieve even more."
Bates, at the same time, expresses satisfaction that the club he led for 21 years has fallen into reliable hands: "This is a great deal for Chelsea and its fans. We have achieved a lot over the past two decades, building a magnificent stadium and a talented team that has already established itself among the best in Europe. But today the club will benefit from a new owner with deeper pockets to take Chelsea to a new level. I look forward to the upcoming joint work with Abramovich in the hope of achieving even greater successes."
Experts note that Chelsea Village, which in addition to football affairs is involved in the restaurant, hotel and tourism business, has suffered losses in recent years due to the increased demands of the football team. At the same time, football business specialists claim that Abramovich acted correctly by not investing money in some Russian club, although with such funds one could probably buy half of the premier league at home. After all, Russian clubs are strictly loss-making, requiring financial injections and practically incapable of giving returns. In England, management is set on a sound basis, and clubs can earn money with the right approach to business - for example, from the sale of tickets and merchandise.
If we also take into account the profit from the prestige acquired after the purchase of the London football team, we can say that the governor of Chukotka can now feel very good. Even despite the demands of some British officials to conduct a grand investigation of Abramovich and his financial affairs before the Russian takes on the role of Chelsea's owner, making unambiguous hints about the Russian businessman's involvement with the mafia. English pride, you know. After all, they once thought they owned the world. And now it turns out that the world is capable of owning them...