POTENTIAL new Chelsea owners Saudi Media have NO direct ties to the Saudi Arabian rulers.
And they plan to invest heavily into the women’s team as they look to continue their success in the WSL and in the cups.
Mohamed Alkhereiji, left, heads up Saudi Media but has no formal links to the Saudi royal leaders Credit: Twitter @malkhereiji Saudi Media have reportedly bid £2.7billion for the Stamford Bridge club and want to renovate the ageing stadium.
The Blues are desperate to complete a quick sale following the sanctions placed on them and current owner Roman Abramovich due to his links with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Headed by Chelsea fan Mohamed Alkhereiji, the private consortium are receiving ‘support in finding funding and backers’ from Mohammed bin Khalid Al Saud.
Khalid Al Saud is chair of the Saudi Telecom Company, which is a state-owned company in which the Public Investment Fund owns shares.
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Saudi consortium enter Chelsea race with £2.7bn offer to buy Blues However, Goal report Saudi Media is a completely private company without immediate links to the controversial leaders of the country.
The Premier League permitted the Newcastle takeover last year despite the Public Investment Fund being led by the Saudi royals.
And therefore they would be unlikely to stop this potential deal going through.
Chelsea are said to have discouraged ‘politically sensitive’ parties from submitting offers after the backlash to the Newcastle deal.
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And even if this got the green light, another Saudi ownership could still prove unpopular just days after a record 81 people were executed in the kingdom.
Saudi Media – who turn over £770million per year – have experience in football and are involved at Al Hilal and Al Nassr, building the latter’s brand-new Mrsool Park ground.
The report adds Alkhereiji is keen to improve Chelsea’s commercial deals, tap into the large under-30 population in the Middle East, set up academies in the area and pour money into the Cobham training ground and women’s set-up.
The UK Government are handling the Chelsea sale and insist not a single penny will go to Abramovich.
Fellow Blues fan Nick Candy is still pressing ahead with his attempt to buy his beloved team.
There is also a joint bid from Todd Boehly and Hansjorg Wyss while Jamie Reuben, who is a director at Newcastle, may launch an attempt.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk