Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich Reportedly Not Interested in Sale of Club

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is reportedly not considering selling the club following speculation the businessman could be tempted to cash in after more than 15 years in charge. 

Sky Sports cited recent reports that Petr Kellner—the richest person in the Czech Republic—was looking to buy the club but added that Abramovich has yet to discuss a sale with any prospective investors.

MailOnline's Adam Crafton also referred to reports in June that Jim Ratcliffe—the United Kingdom's richest person—made an approach to purchase Chelsea but was rebuffed.

Within two years of taking a majority stake in the Blues, Abramovich helped end the club's 50-year wait for a first-division title. In fact, the west London outfit tripled their tally of top-flight winners' medals within three years, clinching back-to-back Premier League successes in 2005 and 2006.

But the club have become reliant on Abramovich, and Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck recently addressed concerns regarding the club's direction with the owner's future unclear:

Forbes estimates Kellner—whose PFF Group has a large stake in Chinese finance firm Home Credit—has a worth of $13.2 billion (£10.3 billion), and Crafton reported he has a VIP box at Stamford Bridge.

Abramovich was more recently in the headlines after details of his failed bid for Swiss residency came to light. Abramovich pulled out of his application in mid-2017, and Bloomberg's Hugo Miller reported on Tuesday that an injunction preventing the reporting of details from the application had been lifted.

Swiss authorities raised concerns he was "suspected of money laundering" and had "presumed contacts with criminal organisations." It is unclear why Abramovich withdrew his application, but he made efforts to keep the authorities' comments from reaching the public.

Scrutiny over his ownership has also increased amid rising tensions between Russia and the UK. BBC News reported in June that he had withdrawn his application for a UK visa, with the decision delayed following the poisoning of ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Salisbury earlier in 2018.

Journalist Matthew Syed also recently suggested that future revelations from Transparency International UK could put the club in risk of being "frozen":

Chelsea currently sit third in the Premier League table, with their next game a trip to Burnley on Sunday.