Chelsea bidders are being asked a series of “comfort questions” by Raine Group, as the US bank prepares to put forward a buyer to the Treasury.
Among them have been assurances that any prospective new owner vows not to sell the club for 10 years.
The three remaining candidates have been asked a host of follow-up queries, even after submitting final offers earlier this month.
There is an acceptance that the speed of the process – due to the sanctioning of Roman Abramovich – has led to a number of details needing to be ironed out on an ongoing basis.
But it is understood Abramovich wants to be assured the next owners will commit to Chelsea for the next decade.
That follows his insistence that £1billion be committed on top of the sale fee for continued investment in the first team, stadium and development throughout the club.
Raine is deciding between consortiums led by Todd Boehly, Sir Martin Broughton and Steve Pagliuca. All three plan to commit to the long-awaited redevelopment of Stamford Bridge.
Bidders were readying themselves for news last week and are hopeful that the process of narrowing the field down to one will be completed in the coming days. But they continue to be kept waiting by Raine.
Meanwhile, Chelsea legend Paul Canoville has given his backing to Boehly to take over, claiming the addition of Sir Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams to Broughton’s consortium is not enough to get his support.
Canoville, who has spoken to all three bidders, said Boehly won him over with his “huge passion for social impact around community outreach”.
