The Ricketts family, which owns the Major League Baseball team the Chicago Cubs, a consortium that includes Lord Coe and another group led by British real estate investor Nick Candy, have submitted bids to buy Chelsea.
The deadline for offers was set for 21:00 GMT on Friday after Russian owner Roman Abramovich put the Premier League club up for sale.
Chelsea fan Candy said he had secured additional investment from South Korea and his offer was “over £2bn”.
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Abramovich’s attempt to sell the club was stopped after he was sanctioned by the UK government and his assets, including Chelsea, were frozen.
That move came in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Abramovich was understood to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
US investment firm Raine Group has been commissioned to sell Chelsea and the UK government is expected to issue a new license, which will allow the club to be sold, once a preferred buyer has been identified.
the official deadline to buy the West London Premier League club left at 21:00 GMT on Friday, although some final offers are likely to be tabled over the weekend.
There are still more than 20 bidders, but the number of confirmed bids is likely to be 10-15.
Chelsea and the Raine Group will shortlist next week, with the preferred bidder then requiring government approval, which will involve proving the source of the funds and where the money will go next.
Any sale will also need to be approved by the Premier League’s owners and directors test, known as the “suitable person test”.
A spokesperson for Candy’s Blue Football Consortium said: “I can confirm that the two South Korean firms Hana Financial Group and C&P Sports Group are an important part of Mr Candy’s global consortium of investors.
“His involvement is representative of Chelsea’s global brand and its large, loyal fan base in Asia.”
Another bid was submitted by a consortium led by former Liverpool chairman Sir Martin Broughton and Lord Coe.
The Ricketts family’s bid is backed by billionaire hedge fund entrepreneur Ken Griffin.
Turkish businessman Muhsin Bayrak, who had previously expressed interest in the club, said on Friday night that his company AB Group Holding had not submitted an offer.
Bayrak attributed AB Group’s failure to meet the deadline to a misunderstanding with his lawyers over the auction procedure, telling the Reuters news agency he was “very upset” about the situation.
Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for £140m, but in his statement announcing his intention to sell, he said his ownership was “never about business or money, but about pure passion for the game and the club”.
He values the club at £3bn and has loaned the club £1.5bn, but has said he will not ask for any loans to be repaid. Abramovich has also said that proceeds from the sale would be donated to war victims.
The proceeds from the sale could go to a charity or a frozen account.
Who are the potential bidders from Chelsea?
- A consortium led by the former president of Liverpool Sir Martin Broughton, and joined the London boss 2012 mr coe.
- the rickets familyowner of the Major League Baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, leads an offer from a group of investors.
- Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and American businessman Todd Boehley They have been part of a consortium to try to take over Chelsea. Now accompanied by an American PR executive Barbara Charonebritish businessman jonathan goldstein and British journalist Daniel Finkelstein.
- London-based investment firm Aethel Partnersheaded by the Portuguese businessman Ricardo Silva.
- British billionaire businessman nick candy, supported by ex-Chelsea striker Gianluca Vialliwho is co-owner of Tifosy, a mergers and acquisitions company for the football sector and joined by Hana Financial Group and C&P Sports Group.
- Other informed parties who are interested include the American billionaire and owner of the Philadelphia 76ers. joseph harris which has a stake in Crystal Palace, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and a Consortium based in Saudi Arabia.
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