Chelsea sale still level playing field as the four consortiums fine-tune bids

Chelsea’s sale remains a level playing field for all four bidding consortiums.

The sheer volume of work required to assess the rival bids leaves no one offer currently ahead of any other, the PA news agency understands.

New York merchant bank the Raine Group continues to oversee the sale process, with the four shortlisted bidders able to make improved offers up until April 11th.

Raine should have a preferred bidder by April 18th with that eventual front-runner then to be put to the UK government for Downing Street approval.

LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and British business leader Jonathan Goldstein, Martin Broughton and Lord Sebastian Coe, the Chicago Cubs-owning Ricketts family and Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca are the four remaining contenders.

All four bidders are fine-tuning their submissions, and could yet raise the value of their offers for the Blues.

The prospective new owners will all have the opportunity to meet with Stamford Bridge executives, and even manager Thomas Tuchel, before making their final submissions to Raine.

Representatives from the four bids will be looking to hold those meetings next week, it is understood.

Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2nd, amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

The 55-year-old was then sanctioned by the UK government on March 10th, with Downing Street claiming to have proven his links to Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Chelsea have been granted a special government licence to continue operating, though under strict terms.

Abramovich cannot profit from Chelsea’s sale, but had already vowed to write off the club’s £1.5 billion (€1.7 billion) debt.

The government must grant another new licence to approve Chelsea’s sale, once Raine provides the