THE BRITISH Government is reportedly prepared to rush through Chelsea’s sale to any of the four shortlisted bidders.
The remaining contenders to buy Chelsea must submit final offers for the Stamford Bridge club on April 14.
‘Sources close to the government’ have revealed the Government are content with potential buyers of Chelsea Credit: EPA
Abramovich was forced to put the club up for sale due to sanctions when Russia continued to invade Ukraine Credit: Reuters According to the PA news agency, New York merchant bank the Raine Group will then hope to present a preferred bidder to Downing Street in the week of April 18.
The Government must approve the eventual buyer, with the issuing of a new Treasury licence for the sale the final hurdle for Chelsea’s would-be new owners.
And sources close to the Government have revealed Downing Street’s satisfaction in principle with all remaining parties in the battle to buy the club from Russian Roman Abramovich.
Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family and Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly, in partnership with US magnate Mark Walter and British businessman Jonathan Goldstein, have both pushed hard in their bids.
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NBA chairman joins Pagliuca takeover bid, Lukaku ‘in PSG transfer talks’ Boehly’s consortium took a tour of Chelsea’s training ground as they looked to complete an historic takeover.
The Ricketts family’s bid has drawn criticism among Chelsea supporters in West London.
A small protest was also staged at Stamford Bridge ahead of Chelsea’s 4-1 defeat at the hands of Brentford.
Blues supporters have objected to controversies around the family including patriarch Joe Ricketts’ Islamophobic statements in leaked emails from 2019.
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Siblings Tom and Laura Ricketts are thought to be considered suitable bid leaders however, owing to their Cubs stewardship and efforts towards community relations and diversity and inclusion in Chicago.
The bid also boasts major financial backing from two of America’s richest men in Ken Griffin and Dan Gilbert.
The Cubs owners’ public pledges to keep Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, reject any European Super League and to include supporters in decision-making processes are thought to have calmed any unease in Downing Street.
Sir Martin Broughton and Lord Sebastien Coe have teamed up on another bid, while Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca is also in the running.
Sky News claim that Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of the NBA, is among the investors backing Steve Pagliuca’s offer.
Broughton and Coe’s consortium’s bid for Chelsea would find favour in Government, given the duo’s clear establishment links and track record in sporting administration.
Boston Celtics chief Pagliuca’s track record in the NBA is not thought to generate any concerns in Downing Street either.
Both the Broughton and Pagliuca consortium offers would likely require divesting of other football club shares, but Government chiefs are understood to expect Raine Group to have already accounted for such detail in whittling down their shortlist.
Josh Harris and David Blitzer would have to offload their shareholding in Crystal Palace if they are named in the Broughton bid as expected, while Pagliuca would need to reduce his 55 per cent share in Italian club Atalanta.
The Boehly-Goldstein bid appears to have precious few sticking points from a Government perspective.
The heads of the four consortiums met with Chelsea’s board executives last week, aiming to gather as much information as possible amid the fine-tuning of their bids.
Billionaire Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale in March amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.
The 55-year-old was then sanctioned by the UK Government on March 10, with Downing Street claiming to have proven his links to Russian pal, president Vladimir Putin.
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Covid restrictions update as Boris keeps data ‘under review’ after cases spike Chelsea have been granted a special Government licence to continue operating, though under strict terms.
Abramovich cannot profit from Chelsea’s sale, but had already vowed to write off the club’s £1.5billion debt.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
