The race to buy Chelsea will move a step closer on Thursday, with shortlisted bidders tabling their final offers.
All four parties claim to be putting forward cash-only bids that will not load debt onto the club.
The Ricketts family and the Todd Boehly-led consortium believed they had a potential edge in that regard yesterday, but The Times reported this morning that the groups led by Sir Martin Broughton and Stephen Pagliuca also said they had raised the money to buy the club outright.
That would mean takeovers by any of the groups would not involve the servicing of any debt, while the funding of a Stamford Bridge renovation is not be expected to be an issue.
A preferred bidder is expected to be confirmed next week and it is thought the winning bid could be as much as £2.75 billion.
On Tuesday, billionaire private equity investor Pagliuca finally broke his silence on his quest to purchase Chelsea.
He said will make a “significant and credible” offer for the European champions ahead of today’s deadline that will “meet the respective regulations of the Premier League, UK Government and UEFA”.
Canadian businessman and Kilmer Group founder Larry Tanenbaum is joining the bid as co-managing partner.
