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Football London
Football London
Sport
Lee Wilmot

Next Chelsea owner: Premier League plot new test amid Roman Abramovich sale after Newcastle deal

Chelsea are set to have new owners in the not too distant future.

Roman Abramovich has decided to sell up after 19 years at the helm, with the war in Ukraine forcing the Russian billionaire's hand as he seeks to sever ties with the UK amid increasing calls for him to face government sanctions after Russia's decision to invade Ukraine.

And a consortium led by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly could be the new owners.

The consortium is expected to make a bid to buy Chelsea in the next 48 hours, with at least one other unnamed American businessman on board.

However, should they make an offer, they may have to undergo a new owners' and directors' test laid out by the Premier League.

All new owners have to undergo a fit and proper persons' test, although that came under scrutiny after the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund bought Newcastle United from Mike Ashley.

And speaking at the Financial Times' Business of Football Summit on Thursday, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters confirmed a new test could be put in place.

He said: "The owners’ and directors’ test has been under a lot of scrutiny for the last 12 months and we are looking at it again.

"We are looking at the next steps and whether more tests need to be added, whether we need to be more transparent about those decisions and whether independent scrutiny really needs to be on top of this.

"So, if the Premier League board makes a decision do those decisions need to be approved or otherwise by an independent body?"

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