Chelsea owner Abramovich looking to sell club; Swiss tycoon Wyss among 4 offered: Report

ZURICH: Swiss business tycoon Hansjoerg Wyss is considering buying football club Chelsea from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, Wyss told Swiss newspaper Blick.

"Abramovich is currently trying to sell all his villas in England. He also wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly now. I, along with three other people, received an offer on Tuesday to buy Chelsea from Abramovich," Blick quoted Wyss as saying in an interview published on Wednesday (Mar 2).

Abramovich's spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Wyss, 86, founder of the medical device manufacturing firm Synthes, said he would have to wait four or five days to see how things play out.

"Abramovich is asking for far too much at the moment. You know: Chelsea owes him 2 billion pounds. But Chelsea has no money. Meaning: those who buy Chelsea should compensate Abramovich," Wyss told the newspaper.

On Saturday, Abramovich said he was giving "stewardship" of the club to trustees of their charitable foundation after calls for him to be subject to sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Since then, several Russian individuals and entities have been put under sanctions by the UK government, and some British opposition lawmakers have said Abramovich should be included on that list.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been pressed on why Abramovich has not been cited, given his familiarity with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Johnson did not refer to the Chelsea owner directly in his answer, but said Britain would be "tightening the economic noose" further around the Russian regime.

"Abramovich is among Putin's closest advisers and friends," Wyss told Blick.

One, Chris Bryant, said the UK should seize his assets and bar him from owning the