Ricketts consortium pulls out of Chelsea bid race

MANCHESTER, England : A consortium led by Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family has pulled out of the running to buy Premier League club Chelsea, the family said on Friday.

"It became increasingly clear that certain issues could not be addressed given the unusual dynamics around the sales process. We have great admiration for Chelsea and its fans, and we wish the new owners well," they said in a statement.

(Reporting by Peter Hall; editing by John Stonestreet)