Reports: Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi in line to buy premier Chelsea FC

Chelsea FC is one of the most successful English as well as international football clubs having won six League titles and nine international trophies. They currently occupy the third spot in the Premier League points table with 14 wins from 25 matches and 50 points to their tally. The ‘Blues’ who are the reigning champions in the ongoing UEFA Champions League are now eyeing a last-eight berth in the prestigious competition.

Meanwhile, it has been learned that an owner of a franchise cricket team has thrown in the hat to buy the London-based club. The person who is one of the elite people in the race to take over Chelsea in Javed Afridi. Afridi is one of the renowned entrepreneurs in Pakistan who also owns the Pakistan Super League club Peshawar Zalmi.

Javed Afridi in the race to buy Chelsea FC

According to a Spanish sports website Soy Madridista’s tweet, it has been learned that Javed Afridi is one of the eminent personalities to have expressed his interest in replacing the Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich as Chelsea owner after the latter was under enormous pressure over his position as the owner of the London-based club due to Russia’s political and military conflict with Ukraine that had broken out last week.

Meanwhile, the reports in an international daily have also confirmed that the Pakistani businessman is indeed looking forward to buying the current UEFA Champions League winners.

“Afridi’s team held a meeting this afternoon (Wednesday) with a sports and legal agency in the UK. There’s a bunch of investors who are interested in Chelsea Football Club,” said a source as quoted by Khaleej Times.

“They believe it’s the right time and opportunity to invest in football. And someone from Asia should come and invest. They are in negotiation with them right now”, the source added.

Roman Abramovich has been the owner of Chelsea FC since June 2003 and in the last 19 years since then, the Stamford Bridge-based team has gone on to win five Premier League championships, as many FA Cups and two UEFA Champions League titles.

Javed Afridi on the other hand also manages many other businesses apart from owning the Peshawar-based franchise. The 36-year-old is also the Chief Executive Officer of Haier Pakistan, owns MG JW Automobile Pakistan Pvt Ltd, and is also the  Co-Founder/CEO of JoChaho.

Peshawar Zalmi made the playoffs in PSL 2022 where they lost to Islamabad United in Eliminator one.