Chicago Cubs owners and consortium intend to bid for club

The Ricketts family, who own Major League Baseball team the Chicago Cubs, and a consortium featuring Lord Coe, both intend to make a bid for Chelsea by Friday’s deadline.

The Ricketts said they are leading a bid from a group of investors.

London Olympics chief Coe has joined ex-Liverpool chairman Sir Martin Broughton’s bid.

Roman Abramovich’s attempt to sell the club has been halted after he was sanctioned by the UK government.

That move came in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Abramovich understood to have strong ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin.

A statement from the Ricketts, who have had a majority interest in the Cubs since 2009, said they would share further details “in due course”.

“The Ricketts Family, owners of the Chicago Cubs, can confirm they will be leading an investment group that will make a formal bid for Chelsea this Friday,” the statement read.

“As long-time operators of an iconic professional sports team, the Ricketts Family and their partners understand the importance of investing for success on the pitch, while respecting the traditions of the club, the fans and the community.”

The bid is described as “very serious” by one insider, with the family understood to have already done due diligence when they previously enquired about buying the club in 2018.

Broughton announced his intention to buy Chelsea over the weekend.

Broughton, 74, is a former British Airways chairman and now chairs private investment firm Sports Investment Partners. He was briefly Liverpool chairman in 2010.

More than 20 credible parties are interested in buying the Premier League club.

Others who want to buy the club

British businessman Nick Candy said earlier this month he was exploring “a number of options for a potential bid”.

Former Chelsea striker Gianluca Vialli announced on Wednesday that he is working with Candy on his bid.

Vialli co-owns Tifosi, a mergers and acquisitions company for the football sector.

Hansjorg Wyss and Todd Boehly

Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and US businessman Todd Boehly have formed part of a consortium to try to take over Chelsea.

The 86-year-old is worth an estimated £3.9bn.

Boehly, who is a part owner of Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers, was previously linked with a takeover of Chelsea in 2019.

Muhsin Bayrak

Turkish billionaire Muhsin Bayrak says he is one of those to have launched a bid to buy the club, adding “we will fly the Turkish flag in London soon”.

Bayrak is chairman of AB Grup Holding, which he founded in 1999, and has investments in crypto currency, construction, tourism and energy sectors.