Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Dan Marsh

Alan Shearer reminds fans of Roman Abramovich condemnation after Chelsea announcement

Alan Shearer has slammed Roman Abramovich after the Chelsea chief failed to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine in a statement that announced he was selling the club.

Speculation has been rife in recent days that the Russian oligarch was set to sell the club.

Abramovich, who purchased the club for £140million back in 2003, confirmed that the club was officially on the market in a statement prior to the Blues' FA Cup clash with Luton on Wednesday evening.

His announcement comes as pressure builds on the government to impose sanctions on Russian oligarchs in the wake of Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine.

And despite Abramovich declaring his intention to donate all 'net proceeds' from the sale to victims of the war in Ukraine, Shearer picked holes in the statement.

Join the debate! How do you think Chelsea will adapt to life after Abramovich? Let us know here.

Alan Shearer hit out at Roman Abramovich over his statement that announced his intention to sell Chelsea (BBC)

He told Match of the Day: "Huge moment for Chelsea football club. He's brought massive success over his 20 years. But it isn't as simple as selling the club as we know, it can take months or years.

"More importantly, there's still no condemnation from Roman or the club about what's happening in Ukraine."

Micah Richards, however, admitted that Abramovich's statement was better than the one released by the club at the weekend commenting on the situation in Ukraine.

"It's a better statement than the one on Saturday," Richards added.

"I was scratching my head at [the Saturday statement] when it came out.

"Today there's a lot more clarity and I think he's done the right thing.

"It's just so sad that we're having to talk about this on a football night, and all the scenes we've seen over the last couple of days, it's just heartbreaking.

"The sooner it can happen, the better."

During Abramovich's 19-year reign, the Blues have claimed 21 trophies and evolved into one of the most successful clubs in European football.

However, the 55-year-old confirmed in a statement that he was set to sell the club and that he'd be waiving the £1.5bn the club owes him in loans.

He also confirmed that he wasn't looking to 'fast-track' a sale, although a number of names have been linked with the club this week.

Swiss businessman Hansjorg Wyss has confirmed in recent days that he's been offered the chance to purchase the club.

The Blues have won every trophy in European football under Abramovich (Getty Images)

American billionaire Tedd Boehly is another name who has been credited with an interest in buying into the Blues.

Boehly currently owns 20 per cent of the Los Angeles Dodgers and has looked into a deal for Chelsea before.

However, Abramovich rebuffed his attempts to strike a deal back in 2019.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.