Potential buyers on high alert as Russia-Ukraine crisis results in question marks over Roman Abramovich’s Chelsea ownership: Reports

Chelsea Football Club could be facing the onerous challenge of cutting ties with their oligarch owner amidst the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The stakeholders of the London-based football club are hugely concerned about billionaire Roman Abramovich's ownership of the club in light of current events.

According to Bloomberg, sports investors and private equity firms are lining up offers in hopes of an impending potential takeover. The people providing this information have demanded that Bloomberg maintain their anonymity in exchange for leaking out this confidential information.

Tensions escalate in eastern Europe, Russia's disregard for global peace has escalated, with President Vladimir Putin launching a full-fledged attack on Ukraine's sovereignty. The rest of the world has condemned Russia's actions by imposing threats and sanctions against the country and its influential billionaires.

Abramovich is not currently on the U.K.’s sanctions list. British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has refused to rule out adding Abramovich to a refreshed list of sanctioned individuals this week.

Chelsea's total valuation stands at around 1.9 billion euros ($2.1 billion), according to KPMG. Implying any forthcoming takeover could be one of the largest that the sport has ever seen. Just for reference, Newcastle United's takeover by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund was at an estimated 305 million pounds ($409 million).

Nobody is sure how such a deal could come about if the U.K. imposes strict sanctions. Individuals who could be sanctioned by the law would be unable to sell off their assets in the U.K., which further means the freezing of those assets in question. Chelsea's representatives have declined to comment on the matter.

Chelsea's ownership comes under the axe

Roman Abramovich is a Russian oligarch, billionaire, businessman, and politician. According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, his net worth is about $13 billion. The Russian has built his empire from dividends and sales of privatized assets acquired from the former Soviet Union.

The 55-year-old is a known face around football due to his active association with the sport. Abramovich became the owner of a group of companies that controlled Chelsea during 2003. His investments have made The Pensioners one of the most prestigious clubs in England and Europe. By winning the Premier League, FA Cups, and other accolades in Europe, the Blues have become one of the most successful European sides over the last two decades.

Chris Bryant - a member of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, has said at the House of Commons this week that Abramovich shouldn’t be allowed to own an English football club.