February 28, (THEWILL) – Chelsea trustees have yet to secure a deal with owner Roman Abramovich to take over the club’s management.
On Saturday night, the 55-year-old announced that he would be stepping down from day-to-day management of Chelsea, handing over ‘custody and care’ to Chelsea trustees in a statement broadcast through club channels, as THEWILL reported.
The announcement occurred at the end of a week that saw Russia invade Ukraine, and Abramovich made no reference to the current crisis in his speech. The following day, Chelsea issued a second statement criticising the situation in Ukraine but omitting to name Russia’s involvement.
The main reason Chelsea trustees have yet to agree to take over the reins from Abramovich is partly due to the ambiguity of his 110-word statement, as of Monday morning.
The six trustees, which include chairman Bruce Buck and women’s team manager Emma Hayes, want to know if Abramovich’s proposal is legal under UK charity legislation, and lawyers are looking into the specifics of the proposed handover.
The trustees are also concerned that their roles as leaders of a charity will be scrutinised by the country’s charity regulators, and that any change in management of the club will require approval from the English Premier League, which has yet to receive a request from Chelsea.
Despite this, Abramovich remains Chelsea’s owner and retains tight contacts with others in positions of influence at the club, including director, Marina Granovskaia.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
