Half of Premier League clubs are now foreign-owned. Bradley King looks at the winners and losers of the overseas invasion…

The Premier League is arguably the best league in the world. Players from lands as major as Brazil and Spain, and as far-flung as Honduras and Korea flock to the elite division to showcase their skills and make some cash.

But it’s not just the players that are interested in the latter attraction.

The Swiss finance company Deloitte construct an annual league table of the world’s richest football clubs. With seven of the top twenty clubs being English, it is little wonder why there is so much interest from entrepreneurs looking to throw money from their bottomless pit at clubs. If nothing else, it gives foreign businessmen the platform to promote their product through an already established franchise.

On 6^th October 2009, Carson Yeung completed his takeover of Birmingham City. The deal was historic, not only to City, but also in the wider context of English club football. Half of Premier League clubs were now foreign-owned.

It all began way back in 2003, when Roman Abramovich sparked the foreign revolution. After a flight over London, Abramovich fingered Chelsea as his future project, after originally flirting with the idea of Tottenham. Or so the story goes anyway.

At the time of his £140million purchase, Abramovich was the richest man in Britain. Naturally, he flaunted his spending notes at the Bridge in a spending spree that, partnered with Jose Mourinho’s managerial skills, inevitably won Chelsea their first league title for fifty years.

Abramovich’s wealthy peers began to stand up and take notice of the Chelsea story. A few quid (or a few hundred million quid) was all they needed and they could challenge the superpowers of Manchester United and the new elite of Chelsea. And of course, the financial perks of television revenue and more that go hand-in-hand with success.

Except they soon found that it doesn’t always go to plan.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s arrival at Liverpool was greeted with scepticism and caution. They promised fans a brand new stadium which would increase revenue, giving the Reds more money to delve into the transfer market.

Two and a half years later, the promises look little more than pipe dreams. Profits seem to be being used to help pay off the loan that the pair secured to buy the club, leaving the playing squad understaffed and lacking in quality.

Shortly after their arrival, they were caught red handed trying to secure Jurgen Klinsmann as the club’s new manager. This has been the foundation on which Hicks and Gillett’s relationship with manager Rafael Benitez has been built. Not a very good one then.

And now the pair have fallen out, with Gillett looking to sell his share of the club.

Indeed, Hicks and Gillett are the antithesis of Abramovich- reviled and loathed by supporters who see their boardroom antics as disruptive and egotistical.

Similarly, the recent upheaval of ownership at Portsmouth left the club feeling crippled. Doctor Sulaiman Al-Fahim’s 40 day stint as owner saw him oversee the club not being able to pay the wages of the players. With the club on its knees and a thousand miles away from the FA Cup-winning team of two years ago, Al-Fahim sold the club, allegedly making a smart profit.

But offshore ownership doesn’t always conjure up such extreme examples. At Aston Villa, American Randy Lerner has been a shrewd operator. While providing Martin O’Neill with the resources to achieve European qualification, he has remained in the background of goings-on in the Midlands. The club has reaped the benefits, and Lerner is well-liked among Villa supporters.

In fact, it seems that the most moderate foreigners make the best owners. Ex-Irish international footballer Niall Quinn has overseen the evolution of his former club Sunderland, transforming them from relegation fodder into a well-respected mid-table outfit.

So the foreign revolution has introduced a vast array of interesting fiscal characters into the frantic soap opera of the Premier League. More are sure to follow.

Just as long as the money continues to flow.

This article originally appeared in the November issue of Twisted magazine.

Photo: Thanks to Jorge-11 via Flickr

Foto: tmz.com

Abramovich non bada a spese e paga un conto di 35mila euro per un pranzo a New York.

Al conto di 47.221 $, nella foto da tmz.com (link) ha aggiunto 5.000$ di mancia per un totale di 52mila dollari, l’equivalente di 35.300 euro.

Da ‘Nello’s, Abramovich e i suoi nove ospiti hanno accompagnato piatti tipici della cucina italiana, come i tagliolini al tartufo, con due bottiglie magnum di champagne ‘Cristal rose’, due ‘Chateau Petrus’ e tre ‘La Tache Romanee Conti’.

Che dire? C’é chi c’ha….

A Knightsbridge Street near to Chester Square (Photo: Rob Powell)

Serial squatters have taken over a £15 million property in one of Central London’s most exclusive squares.

The squatters moved into the 19 room Georgian townhouse after being evicted from the former Sudanese embassy in Knightsbridge, a £4.5 million residence near Harrods and a £12 million property also on Chester Square.

The group of six now count the former Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher and Irina Abramovich, former wife of the Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich as their neighbours.

UK law allows squatters to occupy properties so long as their original entry was not forced and they have a continuous, exclusive presence at the property.

These relatively lax laws have led to a string of ‘posh squats’ in expensive areas of West London.

In September two former embassies were occupied by a group of utopian artists calling themselves the Oubliette. Dan Simon, chief architect of the Oubliette in an interview with the Guardian says squatting is a “social necessity – and important and greatly underestimated civil right”.

Squatting is fast becoming an acceptable form of living, as a spokesperson for the Advisory Service for Squatters (ASS) stated in an interview with the Independent, “Today’s squatters are highly organized and efficient. Many have full-time work, and drug problems are rare.”

The ASS also assists homeless people in finding squats as well as running a forum and printing a squatter’s handbook.

In an interview with the Telegraph the squatters vowed to continue their occupation of expensive Belgravia properties and with 312 properties currently unoccupied in the area they are spoilt for choice.

Robert Powell

Another great article from the Guardian highlighting the absense of self-regulation in the Premier League. The gist is that pretty much anybody with good credit can buy a Premier League team these days…even if they subsequently run it into the ground. Author, Marina Hyde, contrasts this with the NBA, NHL, and NFL leagues here in the US where owners must approve potential buyers and, in doing so, protect their respective brands much more effectively. According to the article, the owners in these leagues pay as much as $50,000 to perform background checks and financial due diligence. The Premier League apparently is content with a phone call to the chairman. And they wonder why their clubs go belly up and why their owners get convicted of corruption. Maybe they need Abramovich to hire one of his oreo-eating Russian crime bosses to start giving prospective owners the shakedown. Don’t splash the pot!

As more and more English Premier League teams fall under foreign ownership I have to wonder why are they doing it. Hardly any of these owners show up and when they do, like the owners of Liverpool, they look rather silly with new scarves and flags to wave. And, boy is it costing them a lot of money.

However I do think Roman Abramovich is beginning to behave like any football fan with a lot of money would. Go to every game, buy the best players in the world, sack the manager every time your team loses.

The latest Premier League owners are the billionaire Saudi Arabian oil-rich brothers Al-Faraj, led by Ali, who have completed the second takeover of Portsmouth inside 42 days.

It will be interesting to see if they act like Abramovich and take some time away from sailing the Med to have pie and chips at their local football ground. And how excited will they be if they draw Southampton in the cup?

I think Roman will enjoy these highlights more than Ali…

Hoy llega al Camp Nou el temible Andrei Shevchenko, Balon de Oro en el 2004 y ganador de Champions League en el 2003.

Sin duda Sheva fue considerado en su momento el mejor jugador del mundo. Un niño de Chernobyl (cierto, su familia tuvo que abandonar su casa cuando tenia nueve años) que salio del legendario Dynamo de Kiev hacia el AC Milan y de ahi a la gloria.

Daba miedo ver a Sheva en el Milan, no erraba una. El año de Champions hizo 30 goles, que todavia hoy lo cuentan entre los cinco mayores goleadores de la competicion.

Recuerdo mi felicidad cuando supe que venia el AC en el 2005 a jugar en Soldier Field contra el Fire, porque crei que iba a ver al ucraniano. Pero al final, por esas cosas del futbol le dieron franco ese partido. Vimos a Rino Gatusso, a Pirlo, Maldini y Cafu, pero no al gran Sheva. Un par de años mas tarde llego a la ciudad como la gran atraccion del MLS All Stars Game y como la promesa del Chelsea de ese verano. No anoto ese dia y tampoco lo hizo mucho en sus dos temporadas en casa de Abramovich, que pago £31 millones por el. De hecho, en la Premiership no anoto mas de 5 goles por temporada.

Ahora vuelve al gran escenario, la Champions League, donde tantos goles ha marcado, de la mano de su primer equipo, el Dynamo. Con la cara rota, 33 años a cuestas y ya fuera del spotlight, Shevchenko llega a la casa del mejor equipo del mundo, sin nada que probar. Eso me da mas miedo.

Stefanus Yugo Hindarto – Okezone

(Foto:Ist)

LONDON - Pemilik klub sepakbola Liga Premier Inggris, Chelsea, Roman Abramovich dikabarkan baru melengkapi kapal pesiarnya dengan teknologi canggih.

Kapal pesiar senilai USD1,2 miliar itu dipasangi sistem teknologi laser anti-paparazzi. Tujuannya agar, privasi miliuner asal Rusia itu tak terganggu dari kejaran paparazi.

Teknologi laser anti-paparazi itu mampu memindai setiap sensor elektronik yang terdapat di setiap kamera digital. Begitu kapal memindai adanya kamera di dekatnya maka secara otomatis kapal pesiar tersebut akan mengeluarkan laser yang membuat kamera tidak dapat mengambil gambar ke arah kapal, karena laser di bagian luar akan mengacaukan bidikan lensa kamera para paparazzi.

Namun, belum diketahui apakah teknologi tersebut dapat menghalau kerja kamera analog. Demikian dilansir SMH, Jumat (25/9/2009).

Apa yang dilakukan Abramovich memicu protes dari para fotografer yang sering mengambil gambar-gambar eksklusif para tokoh terkenal, seperti selebritis. Lokasi yang sering menjadi incaran fotografer tersebut antara lain kapal pesiar di wilayah-wilayah tertentu.

Kapal pesiar Abramovich diklaim sebagai kapal pesiar termewah, termahal, dan terbesar di dunia. Kapal pesiar tersebut memiliki dua kolam renang, dua helipad, dan fasilitas bioskop mini yang terpasang di 24 kamar.

Kaca jendela di kapal pesiar itu juga tahan peluru, bahkan sebentar lagi kapal pesiar itu akan dilengkapi sistem pertahanan dan persenjataan. Kapal yang pekan lalu bersandar di Hamburg tersebut dijaga oleh tim kemanan yang telah terlatih untuk menghadapi pembajakan.

Abramovic juga memiliki empat kapal lain yang diberi label ‘Abramovich Navy’. Selain itu, pria kelahiran 24 Oktober 1966 itu memiliki pesawat jet pribadi, Boeing 767, tiga helikopter, dan sejumlah mobil sport papan atas. (stf)

Mientras los simples mortales discutimos sobre si es o no necesario regular la manipulación de las imágenes o al menos advertir de esos trabajos de chapa y pintura con Photoshop que tanto se estilan en las revistas de moda hay quienes parecen apostar por soluciones más drásticas. La mejor forma de no aparecer en el papel cocuhe -con o sin retoque- es mantener a raya a los paparazzi y para ello nada como unos cuantos millones (¿cientos, miles?) para brindarte el yate.

Según cuentan en The Times , el señor Abramovich (multimillonario rudo, dueño del Chelsea y seguramente bella persona) ha decidido forrar su nuevo barquito con una especie de escudo láser especialmente diseñado para bloquear las fotografías. No se dan muchos detalles técnicos de cómo funciona el invento, pero según los chicos de Engadget se trata posiblemente de un mecanismo capaz de detectar el sistema de enfoque y medición de las cámaras y emitir alguna señal o una luz muy intensa que fastidie la foto.

¿Funcionará también con las cámaras de película? ¿Y si enfocamos a mano? Tendría su gracia ver dentro de un tiempo a los paparazzis recuperar las viejas costumbres para lidiar contra estos sofisticados sistemas.

Claro que, habida cuenta de como anda la libertad de prensa por tierras rusas y como se las gastan ahora los nuevos malos supongo que ahora mismo búscarle las cosquillas a un elemento de este calibre no es el pasatiempo preferido de los paparazzi. Con o sin láser, ya me entienden.

Actualización: comentan en Amateur Phrographer que el señor Abramovich tendrá que andarse con mucho cuidado de no apuntar su láser contra paparazis ingleses o tendrá que vérselas con la justicia británica. Se ve que hay una ley que penaliza interferir o alterar las funciones específicas de aparatos pertenecientes a una tercera persona y claro impedir que una cámara de fotos haga fotos… a ver quien es el primero en demandar.

Fonte: http://attivissimo.blogspot.com

Avete presente Massimo Mazzucco, quello di Luogocomune che crede alle scie chimiche, alla messinscena lunare, al complottismo undicisettembrino e alla Terra cava? Vi ricordate che aveva provato a propinare l’oscenità della cura per il cancro a base di bicarbonato? Il buon MedBunker, alias WeWee, ha scoperto qualcosa di interessante sui tornaconti economici di Mazzucco in quest’ultima teoria bislacca. Caso mai qualcuno pensasse ancora che i guru delle teorie alternative sono mossi soltanto dal buon cuore e dal desiderio di illuminare le nostre inutili vite di pecore del potere.

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La storia che sta circolando a proposito degli sgabelli al posto delle poltrone sugli aerei è semplicemente l’ennesima trovata per far parlare di sé, e i giornali italiani arrivano tardi, visto che la notizia circolava già ai primi di settembre su siti come Flightglobal, che spiegano che è una stupidaggine, visto che le norme di sicurezza impongono che le poltrone siano in grado di reggere ben 16 g di accelerazione longitudinale e devono proteggere i passeggeri, mentre gli sgabelli non farebbero nulla di tutto ciò. Ma la Design Q, autrice della proposta, è riuscita a farsi pubblicità, e tutti hanno abboccato.

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A proposito di pubblicità: a nessuno suona tanto pubblicitaria e poco concreta la storia del laser anti-paparazzi sullo yacht di Abramovich? Siti specialistici come Amateur Photographer hanno fatto l’unica cosa sensata, cioè consultare un avvocato, e il risultato è che ovviamente danneggiare una fotocamera altrui è comunque reato e una tecnologia del genere potrebbe anche causare lesioni al fotografo. Sempre che esista veramente e che funzioni: comunque non ci vuole molto per sovraccaricare un ipotetico gingillo del genere appostandosi numerosi, e occorre che le vedette di bordo si accorgano di essere fotografate, cosa tutt’altro che banale. Ma si sa, un titolo come “Abramovich, raggi laser contro i curiosi” è irresistibile.

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El presidente del Chelsea, el ruso Roman Abramovich se gastó 2 mil millones de dólares…sí 2 mil millones en un yate que es anti-paparazzi. Este nuevo yate llamado Eclipse tiene 169 metros de largo y fue fabricado con un casco especial para que los sensores de las camáras fotográficas no funcionen correctamente.

Pero los 2 mil millones no hacen sólo eso. También posee 2 helipuertos, un pequeño submarino, cines, piscinas y más.

Roman Abramovich tiene tantos apodos como yates de lujo: el Tío Gilito del Volga, el Tío Gilito del Chelsea, el oligarca ruso o el rey del petroleo entre los más comunes. Ah sí, no te equivocas: lo del Chelsea es porque es el accionista mayoritario del equipo de fúltbol londinense.

En realidad, no sólo tiene unos cuantos yates de lujo sino dos mini-submarinos, negocios petroleros, un montón de propiedades únicas, Ferrari FXX y sobretodo, contactos con las altas esferas de medio planeta y puede que parte de la galaxia (sin confirmación).

Nadie sabe cómo pasó de ser un niño huérfano demasiado joven a millonario a su treintena de edad. Y ya subido a la noria de negocios oscuros y protectores-presidentes, la rueda no ha parado de girar hasta situarse, según la revista Forbes, en el número 11 de la famosa lista de los bolsillos más rellenos del mundo.

Pero su pasado turbio y misterioso no es motivo de este post sino su manía por los yates de lujo. Digo manía porque ¿quién necesita un nuevo palacio flotante como el Eclipse cuando ya eres dueño de otros cuatro?

Y no hablamos de cualquier flota de yates de lujo sino de las balsitas de esloras top-ten del mundo, del pequeño círculo de los super y megayates. De menor a mayor, es el dueño del Susurro de 49M de eslora, seguido del Ecstasea con 86M.

Le Gran Blue

Los dos otros son palabras aún más mayores. Le Grand Bleu tiene 112M, botado en el 2000, de astillero alemán, como todos los demás yates. Del interior, poco se ha visto por no decir casi nada: la privacidad y el secretismo navegan siempre con Abrahimovich ya sea por tierra, mar o aire. Su equipamiento incluye un helicóptero, un gran velero cargado en la cubierta y hasta un pequeño submarino.

El Pelorus mide 114 metros, fue botado en el 2003 y construído en Lürssen, Alemania. Otro megayate para su colección, con restaurante, gimnasio y hasta un casino. ¿Será sólo para Fin de Año?. Decididamente, sería un bombazo de Año Nuevo. Es la foto de portada.

Hasta aquí, la suma total de los cuatro yates ya pasa de largo los 300 millones de euros. Pero, claro, como el Pelorus ha pasado en pocos años de ser la sexta embarcación a la 14ª más grande del mundo, y visto lo visto, como Abrahimovich no tiene nunca suficiente, encargó a un astillero de Hamburgo, Blohm + Voss del Grupo Thyssen, la eslora de las esloras diseñado por Hermidas Atabeyki.

Eclipse

Se trata del Eclipse. Es el Yate en mayúsculas en cuanto a metraje: 175M de yate, uno detrás de otro. Equipado con dos pistas de aterrizaje para helicóptero y otro submarino. Esto podría ser divertido si fuera para organizar alguna competición de submarinos, sería toda una primicia.

Se espera con impaciencia su botadura que está prevista para este año, poco debe faltar si no está ya listo. Las fuertes medidas de seguridad con todo lo relacionado con este nuevo capricho de Abramovich se tildan incluso de militares: los trabajos en el astillero y los acabados en el Eclipse como cristales blindados, sensores de movimiento e incluso un sistema de detección de misiles, según informaciones de The Sunday Times.

El Eclipse supera al actual yate más grande del mundo, el ‘Dubai’.

Berezovski & Abramovich

Espero que esta vez esté satisfecho con su récord mundial, sus varios jacuzzi, la piscina y el cine. El coste del Eclipse supone a su propietario casi el desembolso total de los otros cuatro yates juntos. ¡Toma récord!.

La pregunta del millón: ¿para qué quiere tantos? Por inversión no será, el mantenimiento de estos yates es de cifra de vértigo y no tiene fin. ¿Por diversión? Dudo que salga a navegar cada trimestre con uno diferente cada vez. Yo creo que es pura opulencia, mucho lujo pero poca clase.

De hecho, ser multimillonario no obliga a que se te conceda el don de la clase. Ya se sabe que se tiene o no se tiene pero que no se compra. Pero igual es que a él no le importa. Él quería ser millonario y a fe que lo ha conseguido. Trapicheando y en el mercado oscuro propiciado por la caída en pedazos de la antigua URSS, eso sí.

Pero algo inmoral flota en el aire con tanto megayate solitario. Puedo entender que los millonarios gasten y tienen todo su derecho, aunque les odien los envidiosos por no ser ellos, pero malgastar ya no. A menos que salga una explicación razonada para una flota privada como la de Roman Abramovich (¿en qué estará merida su cabeza inquieta y activa?) no lo veo como un simple capricho de ricachón sino de malgasto enfermizo.

Fuente: Embelezzia

jap, jap, das ist meine die jacht des multi-billionärs aus russland…und WAS die jacht nicht alles hat:

[...]

the price tag of which has almost doubled since original plans were drawn to almost $1.2 billion, set sail this week with a slew of show-off features, from two helipads, two swimming pools and six-foot movie screens in all guest cabins, to a mini-submarine and missile-proof windows to combat piracy.

bedeutet: kostet 1,2 BILLIONEN Dollar, 2 Hubschrauberlandeplätze, 2 Swimming pools, 3 Meter Filmleinwände in allen Gästezimmern, ein Mini-U-Boot und raketensichere Fenster gegen Piraten…

roman? hab ich schon gesagt, dass ich dich schon IMMER sympathisch fand?

naja, auf jeden fall, das beste auf der jacht, laut berichten, ist allerdings das eingebaute schutzschild gegen paparazzi. heißt: immer, wenn sie in der nähe sind, nimmt ein sensor die kameras wahr und strahlt ein helles licht gegen die linse der kameras, so dass keine bilder geschossen werden können. und alle regen sich jetz auf? was ist mit den grundrechten der paparazzi und so weiter. britische gerichte beschäftigen jetz mit dem fall…

link: wired

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has a rather curious new addition built in to his latest oversized yacht. The 557-foot boat Eclipse, the price tag of which has almost doubled since original plans were drawn to almost $1.2 billion, set sail this week with a slew of show-off features, from two helipads, two swimming pools and six-foot movie screens in all guest cabins, to a mini-submarine and missile-proof windows to combat piracy.

It might not seem like somebody with such ostentatious tastes would crave privacy, but along with these expensive toys, Ambramovich has installed an anti-paparazzi “shield”. Lasers sweep the surroundings and when they detect a CCD, they fire a bolt of light right at the camera to obliterate any photograph. According to the Times, these don’t run all the time, so friends and guests should still be able to grab snaps. Instead, they will be activated when guards spot the scourge of professional photography, paparazzi, loitering nearby.

We dig it, although the British courts might not be so pleased. UK photo magazine Amateur Photographer asked a London lawyer about the legalities of destroying photos from afar. Here’s what he said: “intermeddling with goods belonging to someone else, or altering their condition, is a trespass to goods and will entitle the photographer to claim compensation without having to prove loss.”

Any sentence containing the word “intermeddling” is of course wonderful. The lawyer spoils it somewhat by (inevitably) mentioning James Bond and mixing up lasers with laser guns: “I would also be worried that lasers cause collateral damage, both to the camera and/or the claimant’s health.”

Roman Abramovich zaps snappers with laser shield [Times]

Celebrity Photographer ‘Laser Shield’ – Is It Legal? [Amateur Photographer]

Top photo: An older ship owned by Abramovich’s, Pelorus, which is only 377 feet long and lacks anti-CCD lasers. Photo credit: Alexander Andreev/Flickr

[via: rtl nieuws]

Mutu

Fiorentina striker Adrian Mutu has issued an open letter to Chelsea over their massive compo demand.

“I cannot pay such a sum and no person in my condition realistically could,” said the Fiorentina striker in a statement released to news agency ANSA.

“It is not an issue of intention so much as the comprehension of a rational and natural principle of inability.

Abramovich

“I am sorry for what happened when I was at Chelsea and I have carried that disappointment within me for years.”

Mutu was ordered to pay compensation after failing a drugs test while at Stamford Bridge in 2004 and could even be banned from football if he does not resolve the debt.

“I think that the best way to define this issue, with the reciprocal satisfaction of all parties, would be this: I pledge to make a significant donation to a charity on Florence or another Italian city that works to help youngsters who have been affected by drugs and an identical donation to a charity chosen by Chelsea and another in my country of Romania.

“I absolutely no not wish to do ‘mere charity’ as much as prove along with Chelsea that our world is able to remember the real international and social importance of sport.

“That football is able to overcome its conflicts to contribute to the suffering of young people who have made mistakes, sometimes encouraged by bad examples set by various elements of society, including the world of sport.

“I want to show these young people they should not be destroyed, but recovered with the real values of life.”

ANSA

To turn a popular advertising slogan around – “was he worth it?”

That will be the question Roman Abramovich is asking Bruce Buck, Frank Arnesen and Peter Kenyon. I’m sure this is not news to most readers but Chelsea have been banned from registering any new players in either of the following two transfer windows, i.e. 1^st Jan – 31^st Jan and 1^st July – 31^st August 2010.

It is arguable as to whether they need any new players. Chelsea have started the season incredibly well and are many peoples favourite for the title this year. Furthermore, this is the team that were the only ones capable of stopping Barcelona last season and are serious contenders for the Champions League.

The problems for Chelsea will arise when players who are not getting regular first team football (Alex, Kalou, Joe Cole (?), Deco, Ferreria) want to leave in order to find that regular starting spot. It has become almost customary to let a player leave if he wants and examples have been seen in the most recent transfer window (Ronaldo, Michael Turner, Alonso). Chelsea no longer have that luxury as they can not replace the want away player.

Only time will tell how the squad will be affected by the lack of incoming players. I suggest that if they can continue their good form and stay injury free then everything should be fine. If, however, Ancelotti starts ‘doing a Scolari’ then it could be very difficult to motivate those who desperately want to win more trophies before their careers end. If they see Chelsea as standing still then will they stay? Doubt it.

Ông chủ của Chelsea dự định bay sang Đức cùng lời đề nghị 40 triệu bảng, để hỏi mua siêu sao của Bayern Munich.

Tuần trước, Roman Abramovich đã nói chuyện qua điện thoại với Tổng giám đốc của Bayern, Uli Hoeness. Nhà tài phiệt người Nga đặt thẳng vấn đề về trường hợp của Ribery và tuyên bố sẵn sàng trả giá cao hơn tất cả. Ông và Hoeness thống nhất sẽ trực tiếp gặp gỡ trong tuần này để tìm hướng giải quyết.

“Uli cảm thấy bất ngờ khi nhận được cuộc điện thoại đó. Song, ông vẫn tỏ thành ý và hòa nhã khi tiếp chuyện Abramovich“, một nguồn tin giấu tên từ ban lãnh đạo Bayern cho hay. “Chúng tôi vẫn nỗ lực giữ chân Ribery, nhưng Uli cũng đồng ý gặp gỡ Abramovich ở Đức“.

Ribery từ lâu đã muốn rời Bayern, nhưng chưa được phép.

Ở Ngoại hạng Anh, MU và Chelsea là hai đội kết Ribery nhất. Nhưng chưa CLB nào đạt được mục đích vì hai rào cản. Đại gia của Bundesliga chưa muốn nhả siêu sao được ví là “tiểu Zidane”. Bản thân tiền vệ người Pháp cũng khẳng định, chỉ muốn chuyển đến Real Madrid.

Tuy nhiên, một diễn biến bất ngờ gần đây có thể sẽ làm các đại gia của Anh khấp khởi. Theo báo chí Đức, Real và Ribery có thể đã ngầm ký thỏa thuận sơ bộ (như từng làm trong vụ Cristiano Ronaldo). Bực tức vì bị qua mặt, đội bóng giàu thành tích nhất nước Đức có thể sẽ tống Ribery sang Anh.

Mùa hè năm nay, Chelsea chưa tăng cường nhiều. Bản hợp đồng đáng chú ý nhất chỉ là Yuri Zhirkov. Còn lại, thủ môn Ross Turnbull và tiền đạo Daniel Sturridge, chưa có tên tuổi. Ở một số vụ săn đón khác, như với Andrea Pirlo hay Alexandre Pato, họ đều thất bại.

Tuần trước, HLV Ancelotti từng để ngỏ ý rằng, có thể Chelsea sẽ không bổ sung thêm nữa trong hè này.

Doãn Mạnh tổng hợp

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Nguồn: viencanh.com Abramovich trực tiếp đi chiêu mộ Ribery