Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich can no longer legally enter the country where his football club is located, but he became an Israeli citizen in May under the nation’s Law of Return. The Russian oligarch and crony of ruling despot Vladimir Putin is also expanding his property holdings in overseas.
Abramovich got the go ahead to construct a mega-mansion on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a building that will consist of several adjoining townhouses. This according to the New York Post, who also provide an update on the ultra-secretive billionaire’s personal life.
The Page Six item says there are rumors linking Abramovich with Polina Yumasheva, the ex of fellow oligarch Oleg Deripaska, adding that “if they are romantic, Yumasheva, who has business interests in Russia, is unlikely to relocate to Manhattan with her two school-age children.”
Abramovich, who experienced a severe delay in the processing of his U.K. visa, eventually withdrew his application. He’s one of the world’s 200 richest people, but he may never even move into the Manhattan mansion that he’s currently building. That’s what makes this gossip item story so interesting and news worthy.
“I have no idea if anyone will ever live there, but Abramovich is putting the townhouses together,” says a New York real estate insider quoted in that story. “Construction is underway.”
Since Abramovich lost the opportunity to legally enter the United Kingdom, there have been rumors circulating that he might look into selling Chelsea FC.
Forbes ranks them as the seventh most valuable football team in the entire world, so if he does sell the price will very high and likely to yield a massive profit for him.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, is currently a regular contributor to SB Nation, WGN CLTV and Chicago Now.
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