Money no object in Roman's quest for Chelsea empire

IT MAY be a difficult name to chant, but if Roman Abramovich can divert just a fraction of his wealth into the running of Chelsea football club he may well become the fans’ new favourite.

The exact worth of the 36-year-old businessman and Siberian provincial governor is unclear, but it appears that even Chelsea's debts are unlikely to trouble his bank account.

Forbes magazine has estimated his net worth at $5.7bn, while the Sunday Times said he was worth £3.8bn ($6.3bn), which put him 19th on their 'Europe's richest 50' list, one place behind Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.