Jamie Carragher has sent a word of warning to supporters and the interested bidders in Chelsea that it will be ‘very difficult’ to come close to replicating the sustained success achieved under Roman Abramovich.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian billionaire Abramovich put of a statement to say he wanted to sell the west London team as it was in the best interests of the club.
A number of billionaire have made their interest public to acquire the European champions but Carragher believes a simple transition that will see success immediately is unlikely, with Abramovich an owner unlike many others.
Chelsea have enjoyed rich success in the years Roman Abramovich has owned the club
The Russian billionaire (right) announced he will sell the team and there is a lot of interest
Jamie Carragher believes Abramovich’s successor will find it tough to replicate the success
‘I think whoever comes in and takes over from Roman Abramovich will find it very difficult to replicate the success that they’ve had,’ the former Liverpool defender told CBS Sport.
‘You may find someone who is willing to put in the same money but it’s the losses Chelsea have had that an owner is prepared to take.
‘Changing managers over the years, players coming in left, right and centre, huge money spent on players and this isn’t a club that generates huge money.
‘They haven’t got a massive stadium like you see at Manchester United, like Liverpool are trying to do now, look at Tottenham and Arsenal have got in terms of bringing money into the club. They have an owner who is prepared to write off money.’
Carragher, who said Chelsea ’embarrassed’ themselves with how they originally handed their response to the invasion of Ukraine, added: ‘No matter how rich anyone is who buys a football club, they more often than not see it as an investment. The only ones who don’t, Manchester City and now Newcastle, are where money is not really a thought.
Carragher is wary that Abramovich took on losses and still delivered the biggest trophies
Unless they have an owner who, like Abramovich, will write off money, success could dry up
Thierry Henry credited Abramovich with transforming Chelsea into a footballing ‘powerhouse’
‘Chelsea had that in Roman Abramovich and it will be difficult to get another owner like that and that’s why I think it will be difficult for them to match the standards they have had for the last 20 or so years he’s been there.’
Sportsmail revealed on Tuesday that British property developer Nick Candy is working on a £2.5billion bid for Chelsea, which includes plans for a £1.5bn rebuild of Stamford Bridge, to be submitted by the end of the week.
The 49-year-old Chelsea fan is talking to a number of American investors about forming a consortium to launch a formal bid for the club.
Candy and his potential partners are understood to value the club some way short of Roman Abramovich’s £3bn price tag.
But a bid of £2.5bn would be regarded as credible in the circumstances, as the Russian looks for a quick sale given he faces being sanctioned by the Government as soon as next week.
British tycoon Nick Candy (right with wife Holly Valance) is working on £2.5bn bid for Chelsea
Vivek Ranadive, owner of NBA side Sacramento Kings, is reportedly finalising bid for Chelsea
Earlier in the day the Financial Times reported that American billionaire Josh Harris, 57, is looking into whether he can put together a deal to buy the wantaway Russian owner out.
Meanwhile, NBA owner Vivek Ranadive, who owns the Sacremento Kings, is among the pool of reported bids, LA Dodgers stakeholder Todd Boehly and Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss are said to be leading a consortium while Turkish billionaire Muhsin Bayrak has claimed he is already in talks to buy the club.
There are also reports that New York Jets owner Woody Johnson will table a bid, too.
For Thierry Henry, he went further than Carragher’s point and said Abramovich’s legacy will be that he has built a ‘powerhouse’ of a club.
‘There is one thing I want to say about Abramovich: without him, this wouldn’t be the Chelsea we know,’ Henry told CBS Sports.
‘Chelsea had a good story before, I remember playing them and they were OK-ish and suddenly they became a massive powerhouse.
There have been a number of reported interested parties including a joint offer from Todd Boehly (pictured) and Hansjorg Wyss
Sources close to Abramovich have expressed scepticism of potential buyers going public with their interest in Chelsea
‘They did it a way you normally don’t do it by changing managers, not a big stadium etcetera. That also is going to be tough to replace.’
Where it pertains to Chelsea, Abramovich is focused on leaving the club, the current champions of European football, in safe hands.
Abramovich is understood to regard the buyer’s plans for the future of the club as equally significant as the price in determining whether to sanction a sale, a factor not to be overlooked as other potential bidders emerged yesterday.
Abramovich is deeply concerned by his image and legacy at Chelsea, as has been made evident by the number of carefully choreographed statements released on his behalf over the last week.
The Russian’s main sales adviser, Joe Ravitch, insisted last week that the sale would not be fast-tracked despite fears of Government sanctions.