Roman Abramovich denied reports that he asked for repayment of a nearly $2 billion loan he gave to the soccer team, and also denied reports that he increased the price of the club.
Roman Abramovich looks on after a win for his team. Clive Mason poses for a picture.
The statement from the spokesman for the billionaire said that the suggestions that he asked for the loan to be repaid and that he raised the price of the team are false.
The Times of London reported earlier this week that there were fears that the sale was running behind schedule because of fears thatAbramovich was trying to get the loan repaid.
In a statement announcing the sale of the team in March, Abramovich said he would not expect any loans to be repaid to him, and his spokesman said he has not asked for them to be repaid throughout the sale.
The sanctions the U.K. imposed on him will not allow him to have access to the funds after the sale.
In March, the spokesman said that the proceeds of the sale would be given to charity.
The club was put up for sale in the days following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, after members of the British Parliament raised concerns about the Russian owner's ties to Putin. The U.K. froze his assets after he tried to sell the team. A group led by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly is in exclusive talks to purchase the club, which Forbes values at more than $3 billion. The deadline for offers passed weeks ago, but Britain's richest man made a surprise bid for the team Friday. The Raine Group is the advisor on the sale. The Raine Group will make a single offer to the U.K. government by May 31, according to reports.
Despite the changing circumstances since his initial announcement, he remains committed to finding a good custodian and making sure the proceeds go to good causes.
$8.9 billion. Forbes has a real-time wealth tracker.
According to reports, Abramovich has avoided U.S. sanctions because of his role in trying to de-escalate the conflict. The U.S. has doubts about whether or not it was poisoned during peace talks in March. Russia and Ukraine have said in recent weeks that diplomatic discussions have reached a standstill, though it was reported last month that Romanovich traveled to Ukraine to try to restart peace talks.
Todd Boehly is in talks to acquire the club. Sir James Ratcliffe submitted a bid.
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich wants to sell his football team.
A Beautiful Person: Why Sanctioned Russian Oligarch Roman Abramovich finds sympathy on St. Barts.
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