Chelsea offer in 2018 could offer Ricketts family boost after new bid

The Ricketts family tabled a formal offer for Chelsea in 2018, with the due diligence from that offer likely to boost the Chicago Cubs owners’ current bid to buy the Blues.

Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts and his family confirmed their bid for Chelsea will be submitted on Friday, ahead of Raine Group’s deadline for offers for the European and world club champions.

US hedge fund chief Ken Griffin has partnered up on the Ricketts’ bid for the Blues, the PA news agency understands.

Rival bidder Todd Boehly also saw a previous bid for Chelsea thwarted, back in 2019, and the US sports investors’ prior knowledge of the Blues’ set-up is now understood to stand in their favour.

“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 Football Club this Friday,” a spokesman for the Ricketts family said.

“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.

“We look forward to sharing further details of our plans in due course.”

Blues owner Roman Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2, but was then sanctioned by the UK Government last week.

Downing Street claimed to have proven Abramovich’s links to Vladimir Putin amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich’s UK assets are frozen except for Chelsea, with the Stamford Bridge club operating under special Government licence.

The 55-year-old Russian-Israeli billionaire cannot profit from the Blues nor the club’s sale, with the Treasury overseeing the process.

Chelsea and the Government both want a quick