A BILLIONAIRE basketball team owner has emerged as a leading contender to buy Chelsea after Roman Abramovich was hit by sanctions.
US tycoon Antony Ressler, 61, is said to have held secret talks in Memphis with representatives for investment bank the Raine Group, which is handling the sale.
Billionaire basketball team owner, US tycoon Antony Ressler, has emerged as a leading contender to buy Chelsea
The club is up for sale after Roman Abramovich was hit by sanctions
Sources say it is possible the Atlanta Hawks owner will get involved in the “finance side” of Chelsea but there was no further information. Chelsea declined to comment.
Ressler, who co-founded private equity firm Ares Management, dealt with Raine last year while facilitating his company’s £115million investment in US football club Inter Miami.
The source said last night: “Tony is keen to add a British football team to his sporting roster and has made no secret of that, but is prepared to drive a hard bargain in negotiations. That said, there are several other players involved.”
Former British Airways chairman Sir Martin Broughton and property investor Jonathan Goldstein are also at the centre of potential bids.
Lifelong Blues fan Sir Martin could be drafted in to assist bids from LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and also Philadelphia 76ers basketball chief Josh Harris.
He is also in talks with several financial backers about his own bid as first-round bids are expected to be in by the end of this week, Sky News reported.
Sir Martin, who led the Liverpool takeover 12 years ago, previously ran British American Tobacco and now heads Sports Investment Partners.
Mr Goldstein, whose business empire includes Prezzo restaurants, is also part of the Boehly bid along with Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss.
Ministers stepped in yesterday to make further changes to the licence allowing Chelsea to continue operating.
The club’s matchday spend for home games was lifted from £500,000 to £900,000. Changes also include holding on to broadcast rights and prize money, which could top £100million. The club had warned the sanctions could threaten its chances of finishing the season.
Whitehall sources have revealed changes could also be made for costs to and from fixtures, which currently stands at £20,000.
The fresh bids come as SE on Sunday can reveal Abramovich first began conversations about the sale last year, as tensions between Ukraine and Russia simmered.
One source said: “He instructed the Raine Group to quietly find potential buyers last year, and their representatives approached several interested parties.
“At the time, the move seemed motivated by the increase in potential buyers. But, with hindsight, he may have predicted the current situation.”
The Government said it could issue a further licence to allow the sale — once it is satisfied where the proceeds will go.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said officials would work with the club to minimise the “impact on the leagues, football pyramid and fans”.
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