Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s last-minute offer for Chelsea has received serious consideration in the race to buy the Stamford Bridge club, according to the PA news agency.
It is believed that the Todd Boehly consortium will continue to be confirmed as a preferred participant and then given the opportunity to seal the takeover of Stamford Bridge.
However, the richest man in the United Kingdom, Ratcliffe, confirmed the latest offer of £ 4.25 billion to buy Chelsea on Friday, made at the very end of the sale process.
Ineos owner Ratcliffe conducted a thorough inspection of Chelsea in 2019, only to choose against submitting an official offer to buy the club from West London.
The British billionaire distanced himself from an offer for Chelsea in early March, as his brother Bob reiterated his previous determination at Ineos not to be “dumb money” in football.
But most importantly, Ratcliffe has never given up on his candidacy for the Blues.
Chelsea bosses are believed to have expected an offer from Ratcliffe, the 69-year-old petrochemical chief who bought the Ligue 1 club from Nice in 2019.
However, the bosses of Stamford Bridge did not expect Ratcliffe to make such a late, dramatic entry into the race, as the British tycoon met with the chairman of the Blues Bruce Buck on Thursday.
Roman Abramovich, pictured, will sell Chelsea after owning the West London club for 19 years (Dominic Lipinski / Pennsylvania)
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Raine Group has been monitoring the sale of Chelsea, with the New York Commercial Bank not yet commenting on the expected status of Los Angeles co-owner Dodgers Boelli as a preferred participant.
Eldridge Industries Chairman and CEO Boehly is now in a position to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich.
But of course, there will be nothing to stop Abramovich and Chelsea from making a deal with Ratcliffe other than the race against time.
Chelsea need the sale by the end of May, after Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government on March 10th.
The Russian-Israeli billionaire officially released the blues for sale on March 2 amid Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Downing Street then claimed to have proven Abramovich’s ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin when he sanctioned the 55-year-old man.
Graffiti near Stamford Bridge shows the strength of feelings surrounding the sale of Chelsea after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government (Yui Mok / PA)
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Chelsea have been forced to work under strict government licensing conditions following Abramovich’s sanctions, and the finance ministry will have to ratify the club’s sale as a final step in a possible takeover deal.
Boehly has teamed up with fellow Dodgers owner Mark Walter, British businessman Jonathan Goldstein, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and US investment firm Clearlake Capital in their proposal for a consortium for the Blues.
Former British Airways chairman Sir Martin Broughton and Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Palyuka were on the latest list of three Raine Group members, but both sides were informed that their offers had failed on Friday.
On March 15, the Chicago Cubes consortium led by the Ricketts family withdrew an offer that boasts great financial power.
Chelsea will travel to Goodison Park to face former boss Frank Lampard against Everton on Sunday, with the Blues approaching third place in the Premier League.
They drew 1-1 with Manchester United on Thursday after Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot canceled a good shot by Marcos Alonso.
Reese James’ curling effort hit the crossbar as Chelsea chased Old Trafford’s victory, leaving the English defender to complain about his missed opportunity.
“I knew right away that I probably should have scored,” James told Chelsea’s official club website.
“Life goes on and we have another game soon, but this is a difficult moment.
“We had more positions in the second half, but again we didn’t use them.
“I can do more when I’m higher, not as a central defender. I am happy to help the team. “
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