A wind of change could be blowing at Stamford Bridge, as Roman Abramovich's days as Chelsea's owner could be numbered.
As reported by The Mirror, the Russian tycoon could be living his final days as The Blues' main man, following an alleged bid by Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The English businessman is a big football fan and the richest man in the U.K., so fans can expect some big-money signings in the future, even if their current owner sells the club.
The 66-year-old Ratcliffe would step in if he can come up with a $3.9B bid, which is Abramovich's asking price for the club. That is the profit the Russian tycoon expects to get from Chelsea, and Ratcliffe would certainly fit the bill.
The English businessman is not a stranger to the world of football, since he owns Swiss football club Lausanne Sport. Added to that, he is a season-ticket holder at Stamford Bridge, despite being a Manchester United fan as a boy.
Ratcliffe explained to The Times how he likes to do business.
"We'd look at businesses that were unfashionable or unsexy, facilities owned by large corporations where you'd know they would be sloppy with the fixed costs. We'd run them a bit better, reduce the costs, make them busy and over the cycle they are very profitable," Ratcliffe stated in a recent interview.
Abramovich has owned Chelsea since 2003, where he has invested over a millon euros in making the Blues a title contender in both the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. As of now, the Russian exec has not been able to obtain a U.K. visa, which has delayed some of his plans for the team, such as a new stadium.
Ratcliffe had already made a bid to buy the club last summer, which was turned down by Abramovich, but maybe this time, with complications to fund a new stadium and his extended absence, it might be the right time for the Russian tycoon to sell the club. Only time will tell if there is any truth in these reports.
