Football has ‘challenges’ after Chelsea sale, says Premier League’s Richard Masters

The Premier League’s chief executive, Richard Masters, has admitted football has “some challenges to meet” around the owners’ and directors’ test after the sale of Chelsea by Roman Abramovich.

Masters pondered whether Abramovich, who was hit with UK government sanctions after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, would have passed the test if it had been in place when he bought Chelsea in 2003. He stressed the sport is looking at how to put safeguards in place after being asked whether the Russian-Israeli oligarch, who sold Chelsea to a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in May, had been a positive influence on English football.

“It’s difficult to say now with hindsight that it’s all been good obviously, given what has transpired over the last six and a half months,” Masters said. “I think if you ask Chelsea fans, they’d give you a different answer. I think the situation we ended with has given the sport some challenges we’ve got to meet.

“Ultimately, there wasn’t an owners’ and directors’ test when Abramovich took ownership of Chelsea, and so I suppose the answer to the question is had there been that in place what would have happened and what safeguards we need to build in for the future.”

Masters said the procedure needed to be strengthened. “It is a rolling test. Prevention is better than cure, isn’t it? There wasn’t then, there is now, it’s going to change and part of that actually is probably going to be the strengthening of the annual … I wouldn’t call it a MOT, but an annual test.”

Chelsea were given a deadline of 31 May for a takeover. The sale took place at a dramatic pace and went close to the wire, with Chelsea facing the prospect of serious financial consequences if the deal with Boehly and