Jets owner Woody Johnson ‘readying’ bid to buy Chelsea FC

Add Woody Johnson to the list of suitors hoping to buy Chelsea FC from Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

Abramovich, believed to be a close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin, announced last week that he planned to sell the Premier League club. The news came as Russian oligarchs face asset freezes and confiscations across the world following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that Johnson, the owner of the New York Jets, is “readying” a bid for the soccer franchise.

Johnson served as the United States ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017-21 for former President Donald Trump, where he reportedly became a fan of Chelsea.

Other NFL owners with ownership stakes in the EPL include Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who is the owner of Arsenal FC, and the Glazer family, who own the Buccaneers and Manchester United. Jaguars owner Shad Khan owns Fulham FC, which has previously been in the Premier League but is currently in the English Championship after relegation.

Recently, Sky News also linked Cubs owner Tom Ricketts as a potential bidder for Chelsea.

Under Abramovich, who bought the team in 2003, Chelsea has been extremely successful. Since then, they have won five championships in the English Premier League, and twice won the Champions League — in which they are currently the defending champs.