Chelsea owners told to make takeover ‘U-turn’ amid £200m claim
Chelsea may have to spend up to £200m if they were to buy Brazilian club Santos amid the club’s current state.
That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who does not back Chelsea‘s owners to do the work needed at Santos.
Chelsea are interested in buying Santos to add to their multi-club portfolio, which currently only includes French club Strasbourg.
Estevao is one Brazilian talent Chelsea signed in the summer, and buying Santos could mean the Blues can add more to their ranks.
Chelsea warned of Santos takeover
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – can see the positives of Chelsea buying Santos.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness though believes Chelsea could look at other Brazilian clubs amid the work that would be required at Santos.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I’ve got the feeling that Chelsea may not necessarily be wanting to put time and effort into it. Somebody else may do, but I don’t think it suits Chelsea’s profile at present of having such a long-term investment.
“However, on the flip side, if they did decide to put that money in, and we’re talking, I think we’re talking about 200 million, if not more, then I think that Santos, as we know, is a superb brand, superb history, an interesting region in Brazil, not far from Sao Paulo, could attract some great youth and could be a pipeline of young stars going forward, which is obviously what Chelsea are thinking.
“So it’s not quite as simple as everybody makes out and it’s an interesting option, but I think there could be other clubs in Brazil more suited to what Chelsea are trying to do.”
Chelsea hit by stadium blow
Chelsea have also been hit with a blow to their stadium plans, as land earmarked by the club now looks set to be used for another project.
The west London club were looking at moving to Earls Court, but the local council has approved plans for housing and retail on the site instead.
Any final decision over whether the club will leave Stamford Bridge or expand their current home now looks set to be further delayed.