With the race to buy Chelsea being narrowed down to a shortlist by US bank, Raine Group, the next owner of the European champions is becoming clearer.
The club, the Premier League and the Government want a swift sale – perhaps as soon as the end of April.
Two of the shortlisted candidates are known in Sir Martin Broughton and Todd Boehly, with the Ricketts family expected to join them.
Here, Standard Sport looks in more detail at their credentials.
Sir Martin Broughton consortium
Who are they?
Sir Martin Broughton, the former chairman of Liverpool and British Airways, has the support of Seb Coe, who delivered the 2012 Olympics to London.
He is also leading a consortium of “global backers,” according to sources close to him.
Track record
Broughton is the only bidder to have direct, hands-on experience leading a Premier League club.
Given that club was one of the biggest in world football, Liverpool, it makes him uniquely qualified for the job.
They were in crisis at the time and he is credited for guiding the Merseyside giants through the doomed ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillet, before facilitating the sale to Fenway Sports Group. That sparked a dramatic upturn in Liverpool’s fortunes, including winning the Champions League and Premier League under Jurgen Klopp.
Broughton is thought of highly among Liverpool fans for steering them through that perilous time.
Lord Coe is a proven winner as a double Olympic gold-medalist. And the London Games was an event that united the country.
He has close ties to Chelsea’s current board.
Plans for Stamford Bridge
There have been no specific plans laid out for a stadium which is long overdue a rebuild.
Reasons for:
Broughton undoubtedly has the best credentials with regards to experience running a major Premier League club – and one in crisis.
The state-controlled Royal Bank of Scotland was Liverpool’s biggest lender at the time and Broughton became the only person to steer a change of ownership at a Premier League club involving the UK Government.
He has also promised funds to keep Chelsea competing at the top and has vowed to put fans at the heart of decision-making.
Reasons against:
It is still unclear where his backing is coming from, with Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who have a stake in Crystal Palace, widely believed to be part of the consortium.
They would have to shed their interest in Palace. That could complicate the process, which Chelsea, the Premier League and Government want to be wrapped up swiftly.
Todd Boehly consortium
Who are they?
Todd Boehly, who co-owns the LA Dodgers, has joined forces with Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and property developer Jonathan Goldstein.
Wyss became a household name among Chelsea fans when revealing earlier this month that Roman Abramovich was looking to sell the club.
Goldstein is a Tottenham fan, who has repeatedly been linked with a potential buyout of Chelsea’s fierce rivals.
Boehly is believed to be worth around £5billion and Wyss around £4billion.
They are backed by investment firm Clearlake Capital.
Track record
Boehly has enjoyed success with the Dodgers – winning the World Series in 2020.
He also has stakes in basketball teams the LA Lakers and LA Sparks, so fits the profile desired by Chelsea, the Premier League and Government as a candidate with experience of owning major sports teams.
Plans for Stamford Bridge
It is not clear what is planned for Stamford Bridge as part of his proposal.
Reasons for:
Boehly is clearly experienced in sports ownership and has a long-standing interest in Chelsea, having previously tried to buy out Abramovich.
Due diligence was carried out during that failed bid in 2019, meaning a deal could be wrapped up swiftly.
He has the financial backing to keep Chelsea competing at the highest level, as well as attempt to undertake a stadium rebuild.
Reasons against:
Property tycoon Nick Candy called out Goldstein as a Tottenham fan and that might be an issue for some supporters.
Given criticisms of US owners like the Glazers and Stan Kroenke, some fans may also be wary about falling into American hands.
The Ricketts family
Who are they?
The Ricketts’ own the Chicago Cubs baseball team and were seen as leading candidates when confirmation of their bid came through.
They have the backing of US hedge fund manager, Ken Griffin, who is worth around £20billion.
Track record
They know about sports ownership and delivered the Cubs’ first World Series in more than a century.
They also completed the rebuild of their Wrigley Field Stadium, which they claim to have spent up to £760million on.
But they have received criticism in Chicago for a perceived lack of funding in the team and an exodus of talent.
News of their interest in Chelsea did not go down well among some Cubs fans.
Plans for Stamford Bridge
While they have not revealed their intentions for the stadium, their experience in renovations was seen as key to their bid.
The prospect of a rebuild that could cost in excess of £1billion does not frighten them off.
Reasons for:
They have the knowhow of the Ricketts’ and the financial might of Griffin. It has been billed as the most stable bid of any.
They have also carried out due diligence after originally looking to buy the club in 2018 – and that should speed up the process.
Reasons against:
A backlash from supporters over historic racist emails sent by the family’s patriarch Joe Ricketts has cast a shadow over their bid.
Despite meeting with Chelsea fans and denouncing racism and Islamophobia, the Supporters’ Trust has expressed concerns over their ability to run an “inclusive, successful club.”
Stephen Pagliuca
Who is he?
The private equity executive co-chairs Bain Capital, which manages around £118billion worth of capital. It is not yet known if the American has made a solo bid or is fronting a consortium.
Track record
Pagliuca co-owns the Boston Celtics, who have won one NBA Championship under him, back in 2008. Perhaps more interesting is his part-ownership of Atalanta in Serie A, who have emerged as a European force in recent years and are one of Thomas Tuchel’s favourite teams to watch.
Plans for Stamford Bridge
Not yet known.
Reasons for:
Involvement with Atalanta proves his long-standing interest in football and suggests a level of knowledge. The Italian side reached the Champions League quarter-finals two years ago, narrowly losing to Tuchel’s Paris Saint-Germain.
They are in contention for qualification to Europe’s biggest club competition again this season, currently sitting fifth in Serie A.
Reasons against:
Atalanta could prove a problem in terms of a conflict of interest in Europe, with Chelsea and the Italians potential future opponents.
