Tribal Football

Obi Mikel says Abramovich's sale of Chelsea "still pains him" as he "lost his baby"

Zack Oaten
Obi Mikel says Abramovich's sale of Chelsea "still pains him" as he "lost his baby"
Obi Mikel says Abramovich's sale of Chelsea "still pains him" as he "lost his baby"Mike Egerton / PA Images / Profimedia
According to former Chelsea player John Obi Mikel, former owner Roman Abramovich is still pained after selling his club in 2022.

The £2.5 billion sale of Chelsea in 2022 to American consortium Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital was completed after Abramovich was said to have ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin. His assets were frozen, he was forced to sell the Premier League club and the Uk government continue to sanction him. 

Advertisement
Advertisement

Now, according to Obi Mikel, Abramovich is still wounded by the forced sale after what was a very successful time under his ownership in which he saw the club win a staggering 21 major titles during this period, including five Premier League trophies, five FA Cups, two Champions League titles, and two Europa Leagues. 

“It’s just unfortunate what happened: he lost the football club. I still speak to people close to him and it still pains him. He’s still angry about what happened. 

“He’s not happy that he lost his ‘baby’ because Chelsea Football Club was his football club. He really cared about the football club, not just the players but the fans.” 

These comments will be included in a book named "Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC" and will also tell a number of stories from that 95-day sale which should shed some light on an interesting phase in the Blues’ history.