Trio on Chelsea shortlist | Bidders must commit £1bn to club

The remaining bidders interested in buying Chelsea, including three confirmed by Sky Sports, have been told they must commit £1bn to support the club infrastructure.

The quartet of bidders which were this week approved to proceed to formal offers will have to give contractual guarantees that at least £1bn of additional funding will be available for the Blues' Stamford Bridge stadium, playing squad and other areas of development.

Among those four are Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family, LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and former Liverpool chairman Sir Martin Broughton, who now lead the race to take charge at Stamford Bridge.

As first reported by Sky News on Thursday, Boston Celtics and Atalanta co-owner Stephen Pagliuca has also made a bid and is on the shortlist.

Chelsea fan Nick Candy has not given up hope of playing a part in Chelsea's future. Candy's spokesperson said on Friday: "We continue to evaluate and participate in meaningful conversations in the bidding process. Nick has always made it clear that the fans and safeguarding the future of the club are his only interests in this process."

Bids which make it onto the shortlist will be given access to Chelsea's data room. They will be given a password which will allow them to look at all Chelsea's financial data - including player contracts.

They will also have the opportunity to visit the club and meet key personnel such as head coach Thomas Tuchel, chairman Bruce Buck and chief executive Guy Laurence.

A so-called 'blank cheque' vehicle set up by one of the world's most powerful media tycoons also tabled a proposal to merge with Chelsea this month.

City sources said Liberty Media Acquisition Corp (LMAC), a New York-listed special purpose acquisition company