The race to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich is set to finally draw to a close today, with the deadline for final bids set for the end of Thursday, April 14. Uncertainty has loomed over Stamford Bridge throughout the process as each interested party fights to make their case. But there is now no more to be done.
Four interested parties made it through to the final bidding round, and they presented their offers to Raine Group, the American bank advising on the takeover. Due to sanctions placed against Abramovich, the Russian will not see a penny of the successful bid, but that has not stopped large sums of money from being banded about.
The club is expected to be sold for around £2.5bn, with bidders under pressure to demonstrate funds that can go towards the renovation of Stamford Bridge further down the line. With that in mind, football.london takes a look at those still in the running for the ownership.
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Todd Boehly, the LA Dodgers owner, is leading a consortium considered by many to be the frontrunner of the four remaining parties. He has been joined in the process by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, Dodgers majority owner Mark Walter, and the MLB side's success under their guidance has encouraged many supporters.
However, controversy is not absent in this race. The Ricketts family has faced strong opposition from supporters since their interest in the purchase was first reported. The fact they remain in the running remains a concern for many. Ken Griffin was reported to have joined the bid to add financial firepower.
Steve Pagliuca is the co-owner of the Boston Celtics and the head of a consortium leading the third bid for the Blues. He has not been shy in bringing other big names on board, including NBA chief Larry Tanenbaum and club legend John Terry.
The only British bid to make it to the final stage comes from British Airway's chief and former Liverpool chairman Sir Martin Broughton and is backed financially by David Blitzer and Josh Harris. World Athletics Chairman and Chelsea fan Lord Sebastien Coe have also been brought on board for added expertise.
