Best Chelsea XI Assembled by Roman Abramovich as Blues Owner Nears Exit

• Hailed as one of the greatest club owners in the world, Roman Abramovich has had a thrilling spell as Chelsea owner
• During his spell, the Russian oligarch was able to transform the Blues into a football powerhouse and a force to reckon with
• However, he could not do this without investing in the club's transfer business where he was able to splash millions to acquire top talent
• Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, and Ashley Cole are some of the top footballers Chelsea were able to sign during Abramovich's tenure

Roman Abramovich's 19-year era as Chelsea owner is close to coming to an end after the Russian billionaire decided to sell the club.

Abramovich is looking to cut ties with the west London club over fears the UK government could sanction him after Russia invaded Ukraine.

The 55-year-old bought the Blues back in 2003 and has since managed to make the club a formidable team in England.

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Roman Abramovich transforms Chelsea into a powerhouse

It was during his tenure the Stamford Bridge-based side was able to establish itself as a force to reckon with both domestically and in the continent.

Abramovich has broken the club's transfer record on nine occasions during his time at the helm, with the most recent coming in the summer when he splashed £98m in the summer of 2021 to acquire the services of Romelu Lukaku.

While the Russian's huge investment in transfers had some hits, others, including the acquiring of Fernando Torres were huge misses.

Sports Brief now takes a look at Roman Abramovich's greatest XI during his tenure:

Goalkeeper: Petr Cech

Cech is undoubtedly Chelsea's best goalkeeper of all time.

The former Czech international holds the record for the most league clean sheet of 202 and was pivotal in Chelsea's successes in recent years.

Right Back: Cesar Azpilicueta

The Spaniard is perhaps one of the smartest buys.

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Having joined Chelsea back in 2012, the Spaniard has gone on to establish himself as a club legend.

Twenty years later, the Blues skipper has managed to win everything on offer at Chelsea.

Centre back: John Terry

While the Englishman was not an Abramovich purchase, much of the contribution he made to the club came during the tenure of the Russian.

Centre back: Ricardo Carvalho

Carvalho formed a strong partnership with Terry during his six-year spell at the blue side of London.

The duo's most memorable milestone was when they conceded just 15 league goals during the 04/05 season.

Left Back: Ashley Cole

Ashley Cole memorably swapped Arsenal for Chelsea in 2006 and went on to win it all at Stamford Bridge.

Defensive Midfielder: Claude Makelele

Arguably one of the best midfielders in the game, Makelele was convinced to join the Chelsea revolution when he agreed to dump Real Madrid for the Blues.

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His arrival marked Abramovich's first real statement of intent to tap into the world's best.

Centre Midfielder: Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard's struggles as Blues boss notwithstanding, the legendary midfielder has his name permanently inked as a Chelsea great in the club's history books.

Centre Midfielder: N'Golo Kante

Joining Lampard in the middle of the park is the ever-humble N'Golo Kante.

Brought in from Leicester after the Foxes' 2016 EPL title success, Kante has won everything on offer for Chelsea.

Left-wing: Eden Hazard

A fan favourite as one of Chelsea's greats, Eden Hazard ended his seven-year spell with the Blues in 2019 when he sealed a dream move to Real Madrid.

Right-wing: Arjen Robben

While Robben had endured an injury-hit spell at the Bridge following his 2004 arrival, he was key in the club's back-to-back Premier League wins shortly after Abramovich’s arrival.

Centre Forward: Didier Drogba

And finally, making the cut in the line up is Didier Drogba.

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His place as one of Chelsea's best forwards remains intact in the club's history books.

Frank Leboeuf names Champions League favourites

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Chelsea legend Frank Leboeuf has named his three favourites to win the Champions League this season.

A number of European heavyweights are still firmly in the competition - including Man City, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and holders Chelsea.

However, Leboeuf does not see Chelsea retaining the European crown despite being on course to securing a quarter-final spot in the competition.

Instead, the former defender has backed one of Man City, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich to be crowned champions.