A MEGABUCKS pal of ex-President Donald Trump is launching an eleventh-hour bid for Chelsea FC.
Woody Johnson, US Ambassador to the UK until last year, will offer £2billion to buy the West London club from sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich.
Woody Johnson – pictured with his wife Suzanne, Melania and Donald Trump – has offered £2billion to buy ChelseaCredit: Zuma/AvalonCurrent owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned due to Russia’s invasion of UkraineCredit: AFPNew York Jets owner Woody Johnson pictured with his wife Suzanne, right, and model Jessica Hart, leftCredit: Getty
Woody, 74, hopes to steal the deal away from Saudi Media Group before Friday’s deadline.
His £2billion bid is less than the Saudi Media Group’s £2.7billion — but he believes he can win because of his extensive London links.
As the former US ambassador to the UK, and co-owner of gridiron team the New York Jets for 22 years, he believes he can raise Chelsea’s profile in the American market.
A football source told The Sun last night: “What Chelsea need right now is longevity and stability when it comes to a new owner. Woody and his team think they can provide that.
“He’s run the Jets successfully and knows a huge amount about the sports industry. And he’s spent the last four years in London and knows it well.”
The 74-year-old, full name Robert Wood Johnson and heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical dynasty, is bidding from his family’s fortune believed to be £28billion.
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Other Chelsea suitors ahead of Friday’s deadline are Saudi Media — who made an offer on Monday — and a consortium led by property developer Nick Candy, 49.
The deal has been complicated by sanctions slapped on current owner Roman Abramovich due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
It means the Government is effectively in charge of any Stamford Bridge sale and will likely see the club sold for less than Abramovich’s £3billion valuation.
Chelsea have seen key sponsors boycott the club this week — including shirt sponsors Hyundai, telecoms firm Three and grocery delivery partner Zapp.
Woody has told those close to the deal that one of his strengths would be bringing in commercial partners.
Many of the Jets’ sponsors are already in the UK including Pepsi, Dell and Verizon.
The source added: “Woody knows running a sports club means you must have deep pockets, and big commercial deals help with that.
“It also means Chelsea can continue to compete at the top of the game and dominate the transfer market.”
Woody’s wife Suzanne, 57, mum to his two sons, 15 and 13, is the daughter of Ukrainians and grew up in Little Ukraine in Manhattan’s East Village.
An ex-Wall Street stocks specialist, she made her first million at 26. She played a go-go girl in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and is thought to be best pals with ex-First Lady Melania Trump.
Same old Chelsea…always bleating
CHELSEA chiefs were last night branded “completely deluded” after they called for their upcoming FA Cup tie to be played behind closed doors.
They wanted no fans at Middlesbrough on Saturday because the sanction-hit Prem club could not sell tickets — before their request was embarrassingly withdrawn.
The Blues said having no home or away supporters was in the interests of “sporting integrity”.
But the club was derided by fans and politicians yesterday.
A senior government source told The Sun: “Chelsea and their directors must be completely deluded if they think they can carry on as if nothing’s happened.”
Chelsea, coached by Thomas Tuchel, had their finances shackled over billionaire owner Roman Abramovich’s links to Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin.
Local MP Andy McDonald fumed: “Why on Earth should Middlesbrough fans not be allowed to see their team in the FA Cup?”
The Championship club called the demand “bizarre and without any merit”.
Last night, the FA said the request was removed after “constructive talks”.
President Trump appointed Woody as ambassador to the UK in 2017.
He was in post during Brexit talks, and had dinner with the Queen days after then-PM Theresa May’s deal was rejected by Parliament.
He was ambassador during Trump’s State Visit in 2019. Woody bought the Jets for £485million in 2000.
In 2010, the team moved to MetLife Stadium, then the most expensive sporting venue in the world.
Once confirmed as Trump’s UK envoy, he made his brother Christopher a Jets co-owner.
Abramovich’s assets have been frozen and the Government must issue a licence for any sale of Chelsea to prevent a single penny going to the oligarch.
Questions have been raised about Saudi Media’s possible links to the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which finances Newcastle Utd, and whether one group should be owning two Premier League clubs.
Chelsea fan Mohamed Alkhereiji, 50, is fronting the group and has been pictured with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who chairs the PIF.
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Chelsea fan Mohamed Alkhereiji, 50, is fronting the group, and has been pictured with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman — who chairs the PIF.
He is also claimed to be seeking funding from backers, including Mohammed bin Khalid Al Saud, chair of state-owned Saudi Telecom Company, in which the PIF owns shares.
His competitors
Nick Candy
THE 49-year-old businessman from Surrey made his fortune in property development and sales.
He is selling his penthouse in One Hyde Park for £175million and has a personal fortune estimated at up to £850million.
He is wed to Aussie singer and ex-soap actress Holly Valance, 38.
Saudi Media
OWNED by Chelsea fan Mohamed Alkhereiji — who is also boss of its parent company, founded by his father.
It generates a reported £770million a year.
Alkhereiji, 50, got a masters degree from a London-based business school and worked for Deutsche Bank in London.
Woody Johnson pictured with his glamorous wife SuzanneCredit: GettyRoyal audience - Woody and Suzanne with Camilla, Charles, and the Trumps during the ex-President’s 2019 State visitCredit: GettyChelsea manager Thomas TuchelCredit: Getty
