Abramovich set to receive bids to buy Chelsea as investors believe he will sell

ROMAN ABRAMOVICH’S Chelsea resolve is set to be tested by up to three bidders this week.

And Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss revealed he is interested in buying the club as part of a consortium but claimed: “Abramovich is currently asking too much.”

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Potential suitors believe the oligarch might be looking to cash in his Blues chips as the Russia-Ukraine fall-out continues to drag him in.

Chelsea and sources close to Abramovich have always previously denied he had any intention of selling the club he bought in 2003.

But the intense scrutiny aimed at the billionaire in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced Abramovich to hand over the day-to-day control of the Blues.

And that has now emboldened possible buyers to tempt him into a cut-price deal to get some of his money back.

Abramovich has loaned the club £1.5billion through holding company Fordstam, although he has shown no signs of ever demanding repayment.

Previous soundings-out of bids up to £2.2bn have been rejected out of hand.

It has been claimed that Abramovich is preparing to sell his mansion in London’s Kensington Palace Gardens imminently.

Labour MP Chris Bryant told the House of Commons: “I think we need to stand united, end of.

“But the Government has said that it wants to, quite rightly, sanction Duma members, and it wants to sanction members of the Russian Federation Council but it’s not been able to do so yet.

“Alisher Usmanov (the Everton owner) has already been sanctioned by the EU but not yet by the UK.

“But I suspect he’ll be pretty soon on a UK list and Everton should certainly be cutting ties with him already.

“Roman Abramovich, well I think he’s terrified of being sanctioned, which is why he’s already going to sell his home tomorrow, and sell another flat as well.

“My anxiety is that we’re taking too long about these things.”

Chelsea’s fans begged Abramovich not to leave over the weekend as they labelled him as the ‘best owner in club football’.

Though Abramovich infuriated Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville over his brief statement as he labelled his actions as ‘cowardly’.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel delivered a passionate speech about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday’s FA Cup clash against Luton.

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After being asked about the conflict, he remarked: “Listen, listen, listen you have to stop, I’m not a politician.

“You have to stop, honestly, I can only repeat it and I feel bad to repeat it because I’ve never experienced war.

“So even to talk about it I feel bad because I’m very privileged – I sit here in peace.

“I do the best I can but you have to stop asking me these questions because I have no answers for you.”

Chelsea are currently being probed after Abramovich handed control over to the trustees of the club’s charitable foundation.

However, the six trustees are yet to formally accept the transition but talks have already begun with further discussions planned for this week.

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