Poisoned, Sanctioned, Exiled: What Abramovich Endured Before Saying Goodbye To Chelsea

For the first time since Russia's invasion of Ukraine forced him to sell Chelsea, Roman Abramovich has spoken publicly, expressing his deep emotional connection to the club he owned for nearly two decades. In an exclusive contribution to the newly released book Sanctioned: The Inside Story of the Sale of Chelsea FC, the Russian billionaire opened up about his departure, his peace efforts, and the pain of parting ways with the club.

“Perhaps one day there would be a situation where I could attend a match and say a proper goodbye, but nothing more than that,” Abramovich said.“I don't have any interest in any role in a football club, certainly not a professional role.”

He added that while he was done with ownership, he remained open to supporting youth and academy initiatives that offered opportunities to people from disadvantaged backgrounds - but nothing more.“As for ownership or a professional role at a club, I am done with that in this lifetime,” he added.

⚽What's the real story behind Chelsea FC's 2022 sale?For the first time, Roman Abramovich breaks his silence, geopolitics and a race against collapse, @NickPurewal's new book Sanctioned reveals the truth.📚Out NEXT WEEK 👉 twitter/SWG1p09IWi

- Biteback Publishing (@BitebackPub) June 3, 2025

Poisoning, Peace Talks and a Warzone Journey

The book portrays a side of Abramovich rarely seen - that of a secretive mediator trying to help broker peace during the early days of the Russia-Ukraine war. According to author Nick Purewal, the oligarch was working“secretly and tirelessly in peace talks from the invasion's get-go,” even after surviving a suspected poisoning in Kyiv.

The incident occurred after a round of negotiations in the Ukrainian capital. Abramovich, along with two aides, consumed food left in their apartment.“There, however, he was soon struck by searing pain as he lost consciousness,” Purewal writes. When he woke up, he couldn't see and was rushed to a hospital under the guise of being a civilian.“Abramovich's vision has never returned to what it was, apparently.”

This coincided with Chelsea's FA Cup clash against Luton on March 2, 2022 - the same day Abramovich released a shock statement announcing his decision to sell the club. The statement, reportedly drafted in 30 minutes by his aides sitting on the arrivals floor at Heathrow Airport, pledged to donate all proceeds from the sale to victims of the war.

Granovskaia's Gamble: Defying a Government Deadline

Behind the scenes, Chelsea's hierarchy faced a nerve-wracking race against time. Marina Granovskaia, Abramovich's trusted aide, was prepared to challenge the UK government's strict May 31, 2022 deadline for the club's sale.

Her defiance stemmed from the belief that the imposed three-month deadline was "absurd" given the due diligence typically required in such a high-value transaction. She believed the government could be bluffing.“This was not a game of negotiating a fee,” the book notes.“If it went wrong this time, the repercussions could have been catastrophic for Chelsea.”

But not everyone at Chelsea agreed with Granovskaia's stance. Internal disagreements, coupled with pressure from government sources suggesting they would follow through on letting the club collapse, ultimately led to a frantic push to meet the deadline. Executives reportedly clocked 20-hour workdays during those final months.

Raine's Race Against Time: 280 Bidders to 1

Raine Group, the US investment bank tasked with overseeing the sale, had to comb through 280 initial expressions of interest. That pool was trimmed to 50, then four, and finally three before Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital emerged victorious.

Their journey began with a breakfast meeting at Beverly Hills' Maybourne Hotel in March 2022. Three months later, they had beaten Sir Jim Ratcliffe's last-ditch bid - which involved waving a handwritten offer made entirely in British currency - and closed the deal.

Had Boehly and Clearlake pulled out at any stage, the book says Chelsea could have been“ruined.”

From Chaos to Normalcy: Chelsea's Return to Football Business

As the sale reached its conclusion, football finally returned to the forefront. One of the first calls Todd Boehly reportedly received post-acquisition was from Romelu Lukaku's representatives, making it clear the Belgian striker wouldn't stay at the club.

It was a jarring transition, yet a symbolic return to routine.“That call to confirm Lukaku's stance represented normality,” Purewal writes,“which is all that Chelsea ever wanted after their very existence as a giant of the English game was threatened.”

“The Dogs Bark but the Caravan Moves On”

Despite the chaos, Abramovich insists he focused only on doing what he thought was right.“There is an old Russian saying, 'The dogs bark but the caravan keeps moving,' and that fits here,” he said.“Whatever I do, people will always accuse me of some kind of agenda. In the end, I have done what I have done simply to try to help.”

He may never own a football club again, but Sanctioned reveals the human story behind his controversial departure - one that goes far beyond the pitch, into warzones, courtrooms, and moments that nearly saw Chelsea vanish from the footballing world.

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