Report: Jets' Woody Johnson Interested in Buying Chelsea from Roman Abramovich
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson is reportedly "readying a bid" to potentially purchase English Premier League side Chelsea, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"Johnson already has spoken to Raine Group, which is organizing the bid process," Schefter wrote. He is "considered to be very knowledgeable of the Chelsea club and the Premier League, having lived in London, where he served as the United States ambassador."
Chelsea is being sold by Russian billionaire oligarch Roman Abramovich amid the country's invasion of Ukraine, though Abramovich has denied any political ties to Russia President Vladimir Putin in the past.
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He had passed "stewardship and care" of the club over to its charitable foundation soon after Russia's invasion began, ostensibly in an effort to shield the club from any English sanctions of the business interests of Russian oligarchs operating in Great Britain.
The sale is sure to garner plenty of interest, with Abramovich placing a valuation of the west London club at £3 billion ($3.9 billion). Per ESPN's James Olley, "as many as 20 different parties have expressed an interest" in buying the Blues, including one ownership group led by Los Angeles Dodgers part owner Todd Boehly.
Johnson would join a growing list of NFL owners with a stake in Premier League or EFL Championship clubs, joining Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke (Arsenal), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Glazer family (Manchester United), San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York (a minority stake in Leeds United) and Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan (Championship side Fulham).
But while Chelsea thrived under the ownership of Abramovich—two Champions League titles, five Premier League titles and 19 trophies in total since 2003—the Jets have had far less success under Johnson's watch.
Since buying the team in 2000, the Jets have made the playoffs just six times (no appearances since 2010), have posted six straight losing seasons and haven't won an NFL title.
