Nick Candy's bid to buy Chelsea Football Club has received a major boost with two South Korean groups being 'lined up' to back the businessman's takeover pursuit. That's according to Sky News, who say that Hana Financial Group and C&P Sports were in discussions about joining Candy's bidding group.
The deadline for bids to come in for the club is at 9pm this evening (writing on Friday, March 18). Candy, who is a lifelong Chelsea supporter, has signed former Blues star Gianluca Vialli to advise on his offer.
Hana Financial Group (HFG) are a Seoul-based lender, while C&P Sports are a sports management firm, also located in South Korea. The addition of these two groups is set to help Candy fund a competitive offer for the club.
READ MORE: Gianluca Vialli breaks his silence after joining Nick Candy consortium
Candy confirmed his interest recently, when speaking to Sky Sports, and stated the importance for fan representation on the club's board. He said: "I've supported Chelsea since I was the age of four. My dad was asked to play for Chelsea.
"I love Chelsea. I don't mind where it ends up, even if it's not with me, as long as it's in safe hands.
"One hundred per cent [the fans need to be included in ownership] and they should be involved. Both on the board and economically."
Before those comments, a spokesperson for Candy confirmed the British businessman's intentions. A statement read: "Nick Candy is actively exploring a number of options for a potential bid for Chelsea.
"Any bid would be made in conjunction with another party, or consortium, and we have serious interest from several international partners. Mr Candy has a huge affinity with Chelsea. His father was asked to play for the club and he has been watching matches at Stamford Bridge since the age of four."
The statement also stressed the importance of redeveloping Stamford Bridge. It said: "The club deserves a world-class stadium and infrastructure and Mr Candy's unique expertise and background in real estate would be a hugely valuable asset to delivering this vision."
