Roman Abramovich's Life is Now Different After Selling Chelsea

· GiveMeSport

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was forced to sell Chelsea in 2022 and his life has changed quite considerably since then.

Fortunes at Chelsea have not been quite as fruitful as they were in years gone by since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital came to power in 2022. The consortium purchased the west London club for a record fee of around £4.25 billion , and it feels as though they have spent the same amount on players since, as has been evident in their erratic transfer policies and subsequent split.

While Chelsea enjoyed success in the 2024/25 season as they won the Europa Conference League trophy and the Club World Cup, the ownership change has prompted three of the most chaotic and disappointing seasons that Stamford Bridge has seen in recent times. The Blues finished 12th in the Premier League during the 2022-23 season, while they finished 10th in the 2025-26 campaign.

They finished sixth in the 2023-24 season, but this was still far below expectations and something that would not have been tolerated by the previous administration.

Roman Abramovich was a cutthroat owner, willing to make quick decisions regarding a manager's future - a trait that ultimately paid off as he was able to lead Chelsea to their longest period of sustained success in their history. However, he was forced to sell due to sanctions imposed on Russian oligarchs with ties to Vladimir Putin following the country's invasion of Ukraine. In the years since his 2022 exit, it's fair to say that life has changed considerably for Abramovich.

According to a report from The Telegraph in January 2025, travel sanctions imposed by the European Union have forced Abramovich to live in exile, with Turkey now serving as his home base .

The 59-year-old was known for his love of travelling, frequently visiting the Caribbean during the winter months and other renowned luxury European cities. However, the former Chelsea owner has had to curtail this lifestyle, meaning his collection of super yachts has largely gone unused over the past three years.

Among them, his prized £500 million yacht, The Eclipse, now sits in the Turkish port city of Marmaris, where it has been rendered effectively obsolete due to the fact that its owner rarely spends any time on it these days.

As for the man himself, it was reported in 2023 that he was splitting his time between Sochi, Istanbul, and Tel Aviv , though he now seems to have settled in Turkey's largest city as his main residence. Nevertheless, he continues to display his wealth where possible.

With a net worth estimated at around £6.89 billion , according to financial experts Forbes, Abramovich is often seen living a life of luxury, generously rewarding those who assist him. One such individual is chef Omer Ataysin, who regularly provides the Russian oligarch with meals. Spicy kebabs and lamb tenderloin are believed to be among his favourite dishes.

While the father of seven appears to be living a quiet life away from the limelight and continues to be potentially acting as a go-between in peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, football fans continue to wonder whether the former Chelsea owner could make a return to the sport with another club.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea for just £140 million back in 2003.

There were some suggestions that Abramovich's decision to settle in Istanbul was a deliberate move, with speculation that he was interested in buying a football team from the city, with Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, and Besiktas all based in the region. This was quickly dismissed, with a spokesperson calling the claim entirely false.

As for his relationship with Chelsea, the 59-year-old had expressed a desire to return to Stamford Bridge to say goodbye to the fans in person, but travel restrictions have prevented this from happening. It now seems increasingly unlikely that such a visit will take place in the future.

Abramovich was also criticised for not following through on promises to make a substantial charity donation with the funds he received from the sale of the club. However, a report from the Daily Mail claims that this is due to the funds being frozen in a London bank , which the Russian currently cannot access.

In June 2025, BBC News revealed that the UK government have threatened to sue Abramovich to make sure the money from the sale of Chelsea goes to Ukraine. The Russian previously stated that he wants the money to go to "all victims of the war in Ukraine", but the UK government want to ensure the funds are used directly for Ukrainian humanitarian aid.

> "While the door for negotiations will remain open, we are fully prepared to pursue this through the courts if required," Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Foreign Secretary David Lammy said in a joint statement.

Adding to the idea that he is unlikely to invest in a new football club any time soon, it has emerged that – as of early 2025 – Abramovich has completely stopped attending games in person . A close friend of Abramovich told The Sun (via Goa)l:

> "Roman still likes football. But he doesn't go to games anymore. It was always about Chelsea."

As alluded to before, upon his Stamford Bridge exit, the Russian said: “I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person." For the time being, a return to west London seems unlikely.

His popularity in England, among rival clubs at the very least, won't be helped by the charges made against Chelsea for 74 breaches of the FA’s Agent Regulation rules between 2009 and 2022. The bulk of these relate to a period from 2010/11 to 2015/16 under Abramovich. The charges predominantly relate to agent payments not being correctly reported on the books, including for the signings of Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto'o and Willian – all players who were signed by Abramovich.

In July 2026, Chelsea were handed a six-point deduction and a two-window transfer ban, which were both to be suspended until 30 June 2027. They were also given a £10 million fine. But it now looks like they got away with a light punishment because of Abramovich's swift exit now that Manchester City face potential expulsion following their 115 charges case.

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