George Osborne added to Todd Boehly’s Chelsea bid

Former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has been drafted in to boost Todd Boehly’s bid to buy Chelsea, the PA news agency understands.

The former Conservative MP for Totton and ex-Evening Standard editor’s involvement with the Boehly consortium adds an extra edge to the LA Dodgers co-owner’s candidacy to buy the Blues.

The London firm Robey Warshaw, where Osborne works as a partner, is understood to have signed on to the Boehly bid in an advisory capacity.

Establishment influence at the level of former top Government official Osborne’s involvement only adds another potent string to Boehly’s bow in an already strong bid for Chelsea.

Chelsea fan Osborne attended the Blues’ 2012 Champions League final triumph over Bayern Munich.

New York merchant bank the Raine Group is poised to select a preferred bidder next week, in the race to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich.

Todd Boehly has teamed up with Swiss magnate Hansjorg Wyss and British businessman Jonathan Goldstein, for one of the three remaining consortium bids to buy Chelsea.

Boehly had an official offer for Chelsea rejected in 2019, and has been determined to make a success of his candidacy this time around.

The Ricketts family-led consortium withdrew its bid for Chelsea on Friday, in a dramatic turn of events that whittled down the field in the race to take over the Stamford Bridge club.

Chicago Cubs owners Tom and Laura Ricketts and partners Ken Griffin and Dan Gilbert were understood to be unable to finalise the composition of their consortium offer for the Blues.

The Ricketts’ withdrawal has left Boehly, Sir Martin Broughton and Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca as the remaining three consortium heads in the race for Chelsea’s purchase.

The eventual