Unravelling Roman Abramovich’s New Life in Istanbul, One Year After Chelsea Sale

• Roman Abramovich sold Chelsea in May last year after he was sanctioned by the British government
• He is now believed to be staying in Istanbul as he leads his life away from the public eye
• Todd Boehly's Clearlake consortium took over the Stamford Bridge-based club

Roman Abramovich has retreated to a private life after he sold Chelsea Football Club last year. The Russian oligarch was never one for the limelight, as he led the West London club with an iron fist and heavy investment, which often led to success.

However, after Russia invaded Ukraine in early 2022, Abramovich was forced to give up the ownership of the club. He was linked with Russia's President Vladimir Putin and subsequently sanctioned by the British government.

Chelsea's takeover was completed on May 31, bringing an end to Abramovich's 19-year reign, as Sky Sports reported. Much like he did during the last years of his tenure at Chelsea, the billionaire disappeared from public life completely.

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Abramovich's new home

As the Daily Mail reports, the 56-year-old settled in Istanbul, Turkey, where it is believed he is renting a mansion worth 40,000 euros per month. The said mansion is located in the lucrative Istanbul area of Anadolu Hisari, which overlooks the Bosphorus Strait, the waterway that connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara.

The Mirror adds that the chairman of the Istanbul Real Estate Brokers Club confirmed that Abramovich started renting the property last year.

Turkey is one of the few countries where Russian figures with ties to Putin enjoy clemency and freedom, due to the friendship between recently reelected Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Moscow.

Chelsea summer clearout

Sports Brief has also reported that Chelsea have reportedly put up 12 players for sale as the club embarks on a massive summer rebuild.

The Blues are keen to strengthen their squad this summer after an underwhelming 2022/23 campaign that saw them end the season without a trophy.

To put Chelsea's disastrous season into perspective, the club registered their lowest points tally in their Premier League history.