CHELSEA owner Roman Abramovich has “no interest” in selling the Blues, despite £2billion interest from Britain’s richest man Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
According to ESPN, the Blues owner is happy to remain in ownership of the West London club despite having his UK visa rejected last year.
Ratcliffe, 66 — who is reported to have a £21bn fortune — said he has had “conversations” about the availability of Chelsea.
But after initial discussions, there was no progress because Abramovich politely declined to let them advance.
Since his visa troubles, the Russian has pressed pause on Chelsea’s spectacular new stadium plans and the Blues missed out on the top four last season, meaning they have played in the Europa League this season.
Ratcliffe said: “You never say no, but I don’t know where those conversations will finish.
“We’ve dipped our toe in the water with football, it’s a very different sport.”
Ratcliffe is the chairman and chief executive of chemicals company Ineos, which has recently taken over Sir Dave Brailsford’s hugely-successful cycling outfit Team Sky.
He has also funded Sir Ben Ainslie’s bid to win the America’s Cup in sailing and owns Swiss football club FC Lausanne-Sport.
“Look, I am a big Manchester United fan. In fact, I am a tortured Manchester United fan at the moment, to be honest.”
Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Nevertheless, he has been a corporate box owner at Stamford Bridge for years and has previously described himself as a Manchester United supporter.
He added, at the launch of Team Ineos: “We are in the process of learning about it.
“We bought this club in Switzerland and it has been really educational.
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“We haven’t got to where we are in the chemicals and business world by being impetuous, rash and stupid.
“We recognised it is a very complex world, we are going through the process of learning and we are not in a desperate worry to get to the end game.”
Ratcliffe’s company Ineos has been criticised for their use of fracking to extract natural gas — which remains a controversial method, as well as their production of plastics.
Reuters
