The name of Roman Abramovich, former Chelsea owner, is back in circulation not only for his English heritage, but also for a project that, according to internal sources, involved the French club Nantes. The Russian oligarch, who led the Blues from 2003 to 2022, was forced to hand over management of the London club due to pressure from the British government after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, due to his links to the Kremlin. Before leaving Stamford Bridge, Abramovich had transformed Chelsea into a title powerhouse, adding two Champions Leagues, two Europa Leagues, two European Super Cups, five Premier Leagues and five FACups to his list of successes.
According to an interview given on Friday to *OuestFrance*, the former Blues goalkeeping coach, Christophe Lollichon, revealed that Abramovich was planning to buy another team to structure as a satellite club. "One day, while I was at Chelsea, Roman Abramovich called me into his office at the training center and asked me: 'Tell me about Nantes. What club is it?'" says Lollichon. The owner was looking for a company with a solid structure and a defined gaming identity, ready to become a strategic partner.
Lollichon explained that, although Nantes no longer had a clear tactical philosophy at that time, he knew the profiles of players and coaches who could rebuild the team. “He told me, 'Don't worry, we'll send our planes to get them,'” he adds. However, two months after the initial meeting, Abramovich called him again and confided that the French club was too big for the ambitions he spoke of. “I think this club is too big for what we plan to do,” he declared.
The plan to create a satellite club never materialised, but Abramovich's interest in Nantes shows that the owner had plans to expand his influence beyond England. While Chelsea is now under new management, Nantes' potential as a strategic partner remains an interesting anecdote in the history of the French club. For now, the players and management of Nantes continue to focus on their competitive path in Ligue1, without further links with the Russian management.