Roman Abramovich has rejected an approach from Britain’s richest person to buy Chelsea Football Club.
Jim Ratcliffe, the billionaire boss of multinational petrochemicals giant Ineos and a season-ticket holder at Stamford Bridge, expressed an interest in buying the club amid speculation the Russian oligarch could be prepared to sell.
But Ratcliffe’s advances, Sportsmail understands, were swiftly repelled, with Abramovich making it clear he has no intention of cutting ties with Chelsea despite his recent decision to shelve his new stadium plans in response to visa problems with the Home Office.
Chelsea refused to comment on Friday, stating only that Abramovich remains committed to a club he has owned for 15 years. Indeed, sources claim Ratcliffe’s is among a number of approaches that have been rejected, including from China.
Ratcliffe, who on Saturday was knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to business and investment, already owns a football club in Switzerland and has a personal fortune of more than double that of Abramovich.
The 65-year-old is a Manchester United fan but watches football at Stamford Bridge because it is close to his Chelsea home. Last season he was also a guest at the club’s Cobham training ground.
Last month’s Sunday Times rich list valued Ratcliffe at £21.05bn, compared to Abramovich’s £9.3bn valuation. The club would cost in excess of £1bn to buy. Ratcliffe’s company, Ineos, recorded sales of £45bn and employs more than 18,500 people in 22 countries.
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