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From left: Muhsin Bayrak speaks to Rudaw in Istanbul on March 17, 2022, and logo of Chelsea. Graphic: Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish businessman in Turkey told Rudaw on Thursday that his application to buy Chelsea has been approved by the British government, adding that he was on the verge of buying the football club when the UK sanctioned the Russian owner earlier this month.
Russian businessman, Roman Abramovich, recently announced his plan to sell Chelsea following threats of sanctions in the British parliament due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Muhsin Bayrak, Kurdish businessman in Turkey, was among the first people to made an offer to buy the football club.
“On February 24, I spoke with Abramovich … who is a friend of mine. Our architect Barbaros works for both of us. On February 24, we were informed that it [Chelsea] was on sale. We said that we would buy it. They had not announced it publicly yet. We reached some stages in negotiations on February 25-26 but later he announced in a statement that he would sell it. By March 1, 5-7 buyers from Switzerland, the US, and Arab [countries] showed up. There were many people but it was clear that we would win the bid,” the Kurdish billionaire told Rudaw’s Rawin Sterk on Thursday.
The UK sanctioned Abramovich on March 10, freezing all his assets, including Chelsea.
Bayrak told Rudaw that he almost bought the club before his Russian friend was sanctioned. He had made a 2.2 billion pound ($2.9 billion) offer to Abramovich.
“When we agreed and officially submitted [the offer], the same night there was a meeting which led to the confiscation of Abramovich’s assets. I would be the director of Chelsea on March 14 [if sanctions were not imposed],” the Kurdish businessman who owns the construction company AB Grup Holding and has investments in London, said.
He added that he had asked Abramovich whether it was okay with him if he purchased Chelsea from the British government. His Russian friend told him that would be fine.
“Yesterday, we officially submitted an application to buy it. Today, We were told that our application has been approved by the British government. Tomorrow, they will discuss it. Hopefully, next week we will win it,” Bayrak said, refusing to make the same offer he did to the Russian businessman as many sponsors of the club have withdrawn.
The Kurdish billionaire claimed that Abramovich has said he would like to sell the club to someone from Turkey rather than Europe.
Bayrak also leads Kurdish Mutki tribe in Turkey’s southeastern province of Bitlis. He has strong ties to Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Asked why he wanted to buy the British club, Bayrak said he would like to promote the prestige of Turkey and his holding. “It is important for us that a family from Turkey buys Chelsea. Also, I like football. Our company is very powerful in the world. We will further progress [by buying the club]”
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