With the deadline for any Chelsea bids set for Friday evening, we take a look at the current situation and potential consortiums that could submit bids.
It’s a one-of-a-kind situation for a variety of reasons, not least because a club like Chelsea seldom, if ever, becomes available on the open market. There is a lot of curiosity because they are one of the biggest clubs in the world, as well as the world and European champions.
They are, however, subject to a number of restrictions after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government and the EU in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The club is unable to sell tickets to games or goods, and they are limited in their spending on game days.
Many people are jockeying for position with Chelsea, and many more are finalizing the fine details of the consortium they are assembling.
Before the deadline on Friday, here’s how some of the big runners and riders are shaping up.
Saudi Media Group
The Saudi Media Group’s Chelsea bid includes plans to restore Stamford Bridge as well as extend the contracts of key players such as Antonio Rudiger and Cesar Azpilicueta.
The initiative is being led by Mohamed Alkhereiji, the CEO of Saudi Media and the parent company Engineer Holding Group, which was founded by his father Abdulelah AlKhereiji.
Saudi Media is the largest media conglomerate in the Middle East, having interests in advertising, hospitality, banking, and sports.
The company generates $1 billion (£770 million) in annual sales, showing that it has the potential to become a major power in English football.
However, it’s important noting that Saudi Media’s acquisition proposal will be backed by a group of Saudi Arabian private investors.
The Ricketts family
The Chicago Cubs are owned by an American family. They are backed by Ken Griffin, a hedge fund billionaire who, according to reports, is almost three times as wealthy as Roman Abramovich. He is also the single richest person we are aware of that is interested in purchasing Chelsea at the moment.
Sir Martin Broughton
Another proposal, led by Sir Martin Broughton, is in the works. He is a former chairman of British Airways and a former chairman of Liverpool, where he played a key role in the Fenway Sports Group’s acquisition of the club.
He is a long-time Chelsea fan who has teamed up with Lord Coe, another long-time Chelsea fan. Broughton is the appropriate guy to take Chelsea into the future, according to Lord Coe, and their partnership is backed by American businessman Michael Klein.
Nick Candy
Another intriguing bid concerns luxury property developer Nick Candy, who is a lifelong Chelsea supporter.Gianluca Viallli, who used to play for Chelsea, has backed him up.
Tifosy Capital is the name of Vialli’s new company. Vialli stated on Wednesday that he was “glad and honoured” to be a part of Candy’s campaign and that he had met him numerous times in recent weeks. Candy, he believes, is the best person to lead Chelsea into the future.
The Boehly-Wyss-Goldstein-Finkelstein consortium
The other bidder from the United States is Todd Boehly, a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers who has paired up with Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and is backed by Jonathan Goldstein.
Daniel Finkelstein, a New York Times columnist and former Conservative government consultant, has joined the group.If the offer is successful, he will become a non-executive director and a Chelsea supporter. In 2013, he was named a life peer.
Barbara Charone, according to Bloomberg, has also joined the consortium. She is a Chelsea supporter who founded MBC PR, a music public relations firm. Some of their artists include Madonna, Foo Fighters, Rod Stewart, and Maroon 5.
Aethel Partners
On Thursday, Aethel Partners made a proposal for Chelsea valued more than £2 billion.
It is a London-based investment firm situated in Berkeley Square. It is willing to provide Chelsea £50 million right away to cover any short-term funding needs the club may have.
Will there be another bidder who isn’t known?
Woody Johnson, the former US ambassador to the United Kingdom and owner of the New York Jets, is another potential bidder. He is close to Donald Trump and is putting together a group of people to help him.
All of these proposals must be submitted by Friday, and there’s still a good chance that someone may come up that we haven’t heard from yet, since if you’re interested in purchasing Chelsea and have billions to spend in public, you don’t need to say anything.
You conduct your business in the shadows, remaining undetected until the last possible moment, when you place a massive bid on the table. As a result, there’s a chance that will happen as well.
