Three bidders are seen as serious contenders to buy Chelsea, with Americans leading the race to take control of the European champions.
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and the consortium fronted by Todd Boehly are considered frontrunners ahead of Friday’s deadline for official offers.
A third bidder joins them in the leading pack, despite as many 200 interested parties being in contact with US merchant bank, Raine Group, which is handling the sale on behalf of Roman Abramovich.
With Chelsea, the Government and the Premier League wanting a quick sale to ensure the survival of the club, serious candidates are already being whittled down.
Prospective buyers have to show proof of funds, while their intentions for Chelsea are also being scrutinised as part of a rigorous process.
There has been no shortage of interest, with Raine approaching some of the world’s richest people even before Abramovich announced his intention to sell at the start of the month.
But there is a determination to ensure the future of the club — meaning there is a high bar for any proposals.
UK property tycoon Nick Candy now has funds in place to make an offer in the region of £2.5billion and it is understood potential partners are trying to join his consortium in the belief he has a strong chance of being successful.
The Ricketts family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are also interested, but there remain doubts over the Saudi Media-led consortium who, it is claimed, have tabled the highest bid yet of £2.7bn. The uncertainty surrounds potential ties to Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which financed the £300million purchase of Newcastle.
And if not connected to the PIF, there have been questions over whether they would seriously go up against the Saudi Arabian government who control it. Chelsea are also said to be reluctant to sell to potentially politically sensitive buyers.
Johnson, who was the former US ambassador to the UK, is believed to be preparing a bid of just £2bn, but is said to believe his London links will boost his chances of a buyout. The 74-year-old is heir to the Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical company, with his family’s fortune estimated at £28bn.
Boehly has teamed up with Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, who was the first to reveal Abramovich’s attempts to sell, and Jonathan Goldstein.
They have tabled a bid believed to be in the region of £2-2.5bn, but it has emerged that they are still to complete the full make-up of their consortium and are seeking more investors.
It will take Government and Premier League sign-off for any deal to be completed, but it will be up to Raine to recommend which bid to accept.
Meanwhile, there are doubts as to whether Chelsea will be able to continue in the Champions League should they progress tonight, now Abramovich has been sanctioned by the European Union. UEFA said: “We will work with the EU and relevant member states to ensure we have full clarity and remain in lockstep with relevant measures.”
