Gary Neville does not think Roman Abramovich should be ‘kicked out of Chelsea’ or English football and he believes has had a positive impact on the national game for two decades.
The former Manchester United and England defender has spoken out in defence of the Russian oligarch and overseas investment in football and the country as a whole.
Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, Neville said he had a long-term view that overseas investment can benefit clubs, cities and in return, Britain can influence the countries that are investing.
‘There are alleged links between Abramovich and Putin. I think what he [Putin] has done this week has meant the association with Chelsea and Abramovich has become a problem,’ Neville told the Summit.
‘Am I in a situation where I feel Roman Abramovich should be kicked out of Chelsea, should be kicked out English football, no I am actually not there.’
Gary Neville says he would not kick Roman Abramovich out of English football but accepts he is going
As reported by Sportsmail, Abramovich has instructed American bank the Raine Group to handle the sale of Chelsea. It is understood that the Russian is targeting American buyers as investment from China, the Far East and Eastern Europe has dried up for clear political reasons, and is seeking a sale worth £3BN.
The Sky Sports pundit added: ‘In respect of Abramovich and Chelsea, he has been an owner of Chelsea now for 20 years and from my point of view I have spoken openly about how I have welcomed the challenge to the historical elite, which was Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal.
‘New money into Chelsea, Blackburn all those years ago when Jack Walker put money in, Leicester City winning the league, Manchester City and the Abu Dhabi wealth, I do believe we are a stronger league for it, more competitive and admired all around the world.
Abramovich’s UK investments, including Chelsea, have been in the spotlight since Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday.
Abramovich is seeking to sell Chelsea and is reportedly seeking £3 billion for the club
Members of an Ukrainian civil defense unit pass new assault rifles to the opposite side of a blown up bridge on Kyiv’s northern outskirts, where fighting with Russian forces has been taking place
Today, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer questioned Boris Johnson in Parliament on why Abramovich hasn’t yet faced sanctions, which the government is planning to use to isolate Russian oligarch’s, who have allegedly supported Putin and his regime.
The Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: ‘It is not appropriate to comment on individual cases at this stage’.
Meanwhile, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, worth £4.3bn, claims he has been approached to consider buying Chelsea, potentially as part of a consortium.
Neville accepts Abramovich is preparing to pull out of English football, if not the UK as a whole.
‘He is backing off, he is reversing down the road, he is seeing the danger of owning a football club in this country the fact it could be seized,’ said the former player.
Neville said he has always felt that Britain can benefit from football investment, whether it be from Saudi Arabia, which has invested in Newcastle United, or Abu Dhabi, which funds Manchester City.
He said Britain’s values can influence others, although he believes that position has been tested in the last week.
Roman Abramovich has put Chelsea up for sale and wants around £3billion for the club
Neville was speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit
‘We should accept [investors] but it comes with some level of standard of decency…,’ said Neville.
‘I want those countries to be better and I believe the citizens in those countries want a better life and we as Great Britain can influence people in a positive way.
‘I accept [investors] come here to legitimise their positions in their countries. Abu Dhabi in east Manchester, Saudi in Newcastle, Roman Abramovich at Chelsea. I have always viewed that we would create a better world in return by accepting them into out country.
‘That does not seem a very wise view this week when Russia go and invade Ukraine, but it has always been my long held view that we as the UK should act as what would be good standing.’
Gary Neville has campaigned for the reform football governance in England for a long time
He added: ‘I would like to think we could adopt a policy whereby we could affect change in the world but that has not worked this week and what we have seen is quite barbaric that has happened in the Ukraine.’
The ex-footballer believes the Government has questions to answer over how it allowed Russian money to be ‘laundered’ through London, but he said football must also consider how it regulates investment in the game.
He said it is often English, not foreign owners, who ruin football clubs and there needs to be an effective owners and directors test to determine who can run teams.
‘I believe the game is far too important in this country for fans of football clubs not to understand what the criteria is for people to own a football club,’ he said.
‘There needs to be an independent regulator,’ he added.
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