Kurdish businessman makes offer to buy Chelsea

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish businessman in Turkey said on Friday he has made an offer to buy Chelsea after its Russian owner said he plans to sell the football club. 
 
Russian businessman, Roman Abramovich, said on Wednesday that he plans to sell the football club following threats of sanctions in British parliament due to Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

Muhsin Bayrak, who leads Kurdish Mutki tribe in Turkey’s southeastern province of Bitlis, was quoted by Turkish media as saying that he had made an offer to buy Chelsea. A source, representing him, confirmed the news to the Guardian. 

“Yes we definitely confirm. We have forwarded our offer regarding this to them,” the representative told the British newspaper on Friday. “We are discussing the terms of Chelsea’s purchase with Roman Abramovich’s lawyers. We’re negotiating signatures.”

Several parties have expressed their interest to buy the football club. According to the Guardian, Abramovich wants as much as four billion pounds but it is unlikely to receive much more than half of this amount. 

Bayrak is the owner of AB Grup Holding, a construction company, and has investments in London. He has strong ties to Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). 

The billionaire told a Turkish news outlet in 2016 that the population of his tribe is more than half a million. 

Abramovich said on Wednesday that his decision to sell the club is “incredibly difficult” and “pains” him, reported BBC.