Sir Martin Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea gets extra support

Investment banker Michael Klein has joined Sir Martin Broughton and Lord Sebastian Coe’s consortium to buy Chelsea.

Klein adds another major shot in the arm for Broughton’s candidacy for the Premier League club, with the American investment specialist’s advisory role indicating significant financial backing.

Creative Artists Agency and Evolution Media Capital have also joined up with Broughton’s bid, the PA news agency understands.

World Athletics president and London 2012 chief Coe confirmed his addition to Broughton’s bid on Wednesday, in the first major coup for the ex-Liverpool chairman.

Klein helped advise then-prime minister Gordon Brown on Britain’s banking crisis of 2008 and also advised Broughton’s rescue act at Liverpool in 2010.

Broughton took a short-term chairmanship at Liverpool to oversee the sale to current owners the Fenway Sports Group, who have ushered in prosperity and success at Anfield.

Chelsea’s sale could jump ahead quickly after Friday’s deadline for bid submissions.

PA understands New York merchant bank the Raine Group will whittle down a shortlist of preferred bidders following Friday’s deadline to make an offer.

The fast pace of the Stamford Bridge club sale means a shortlist as tight as three bids could be in place by early next week.

A strong nucleus of bidders are ready to submit their proposals, and a clutch of those suitors have already strengthened their hands significantly.

Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family confirmed their candidacy in a bullish statement on Wednesday, also adding influential hedge fund boss Ken Griffin to their consortium.

British property tycoon Nick Candy recruited Chelsea favourite Gianluca Vialli to his bid, with the former Italy striker and current Azzurri