Swiss Medical Magnate Reportedly Wants to Buy Chelsea From Roman Abramovich

Abramovich bought the club for $186 million in 2003. Since then, Chelsea has gone on to be one of the most successful English football clubs, winning 21 titles under his ownership, including the Premier League (five times) and UEFA Champions League (twice).

Swiss medical magnate Hansjorg Wyss has voiced his desire to buy Chelsea football club from Roman Abramovich, as the Russian billionaire hurries to sell his assets in the United Kingdom to avoid sanctions, local media reported. According to the Daily Mail, Wyss, 86, is already in talks with Abramovich to buy the club as part of a consortium together with "six or seven" investors.

Wyss also said that he will look into the details of any possible deal to buy the football club, despite initially high demands. According to media reports, the Russian billionaire has already turned down offers of £2.2 billion ($2.9 billion). The Daily Mail claims that the Blues' owner wants a minimum of £3 billion, and Sky News reported that Abramovich is ready to part ways with the club for no less than £4 billion and has hired a US merchant bank to conduct the sale.

The development comes hot on the heels of Russia’s special operation in Ukraine, which has thrown Abramovich, one of the wealthiest people in the United Kingdom, under the spotlight. The operation was ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who said it was meant to "demilitarise" and "denazify" Ukraine and protect residents of Donetsk and Lugansk People’s republics. Both regions announced their independence from Ukraine in 2014, provoking bitter military conflict.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected Vladimir Putin’s statement about Nazis being present in Ukraine and described Moscow’s actions as a "full-scale invasion".

Western nations have thrown their support behind Ukraine, condemning Moscow's actions and introducing the harshest sanctions on Russia. The punitive measures target banks, government officials, businesses, as well as individuals close to president Vladimir Putin – namely billionaires Gennady Timchenko, and Boris Rotenberg and his nephew Igor Rotenberg.

British MPs have criticised the government's sanction regime and called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to introduce punitive measures against other Russian billionaires, including Abramovich.

Right from the start of the operation, the former governor of Chukotka announced that he would give "stewardship and care" of Chelsea to charitable foundation trustees. According to Abramovich’s spokesman, the entrepreneur was trying to achieve a peaceful resolution in Ukraine. Some reports suggested that he took part in the first round of negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian officials, which was held earlier this week in Belarus.

The news, however, failed to calm critics, who have continued to call on UK authorities to sanction the entrepreneur.

Chris Bryant, a Labour MP, said Abramovich is now rushing to sell his property in the United Kingdom to evade punitive measures.

"I think [Abramovich] is terrified of being sanctioned, which is why he’s going to sell his home tomorrow, and another flat as well. My anxiety is that we’re taking too long about these things," Bryant told the House of Commons.

Previously daily newspaper 'The Times' reported that the Russian billionaire is considering selling his five-bedroom mansion in Kensington Palace Gardens which has been valued at more than £150 million ($275 million)

Swiss magnate Wyss confirmed reports about the sale Abramovich’s assets in UK.

"[He] is trying to sell all his properties in England and he wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly," Wyss told a Swiss newspaper.