Chelsea news LIVE: Ricketts family join Sir Martin Broughton and Todd Boehly bids on final shortlist

Chelsea takeover: Latest updates as bidders for club set to be whittled down to shortlist of three

Roman Abramovich makes ‘incredibly difficult decision’ to sell Chelsea

The Ricketts family have made the shortlist in the bid to buy Chelsea. Raine Group finally informed the Chicago Cubs owners early on Friday afternoon New York time. The Ricketts were the third consortium to receive official confirmation of making the shortlist to buy the Blues, after the Todd Boehly bid and a rival offer led by Sir Martin Broughton. The Athletic is reporting there has been a fourth bid shortlisted, from Stephen Pagluica, owner of NBA team the Boston Celtics and Serie A side Atalanta.

While the sale of Chelsea continues the club have been given a boost after the UK government amended its special operating license. The alteration will now allow Chelsea to sell tickets to away matches, cup games and women’s fixtures provided the club does not receive any revenue. This means Chelsea fans will be able to attend the club’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid and FA Cup semi-final with Crystal Palace at Wembley. The Premier League have said the revenue generated by ticket sales, which would normally have gone to the club, will be donated to war victims in Ukraine.

The government will now also allow Chelsea to receive £30million from its parent company, Fordstam, to allow the club to remain afloat following the sanctioning of owner Roman Abramovich and while the Premier League side is sold.

Follow all the latest Chelsea takeover news below:

Chelsea takeover news

• Final three confirmed as Boehy, Broughton and Ricketts bids all shortlisted
• Saudi Media Group not included on shortlist of preferred Chelsea bidders
• Tickets and transfers: What Chelsea can and can’t do following under latest government licence
• Who will buy Chelsea? Takeover latest as potential new owners table bids to succeed Roman Abramovich
• Nick Candy bid fails to make shortlist, but Blue Football Consortium encouraged to speak to remaining bidders

[25 March 2022 15:40 · Jack Rathborn]

Chelsea takeover latest: Nick Candy adds Elliott Management to consortium

Hedge fund Elliott Management, which owns Italian side AC Milan, has joined the Nick Candy-led Blue Football consortium as a “minor investor” in their bid for Chelsea.

Candy has been urged to join up with one of the preferred bidders if his consortium is to be involved in the new ownership group.

[25 March 2022 15:33 · Jack Rathborn]

Chelsea bids fall short of final shortlist

• Saudi Media Group
• Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets
• London-based global investment firm Centricus/co-founder Nizar Al-Bassam and CEO Garth Ritchie

[25 March 2022 15:22 · Jack Rathborn]

Ricketts family ‘grateful that the door is still open’ after meeting Chelsea supporters

Ricketts family statement: “We have listened to all of your feedback – including from the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust – and are grateful that the door is still open for us to demonstrate our commitment to working with fans to protect the club’s heritage.”

[25 March 2022 14:45 · Jack Rathborn]

Chelsea latest: Government must upgrade license when bid accepted to complete takeover

Chelsea were handed a special licence once Roman Abramovich had his assets frozen by the UK government on 10 March.

That license allows Chelsea’s 800 staff to be paid with existing season ticket holders to attend matches home Premier League matches.

When the club has a viable bidder, they will need to upgrade their licence to push through the sale.

Abramovich values Chelsea at £3bn having bought the club for £140m in 2003 and lending the Blues £1.5bn in that time, though the Russian has stated he will not ask for any loans to be repaid.

[25 March 2022 14:27 · Jack Rathborn]

Hakim Ziyech thriving at Chelsea after adjusting to Thomas Tuchel’s system

Hakim Ziyech claims he has finally adjusted to Thomas Tuchel’s preferred system.

The former Ajax star joined the Blues in 2020, with Frank Lampard playing him mostly off the right.

But Tuchel has positioned Ziyech mostly through the middle, with his best form coming this season.

“[The system] affects me, of course,” Ziyech told ChelseaTV. “[The system] affects me, of course.

“Everybody knows that if I play wide, it’s my best position. When we play four at the back, most of the time I play on the right. When we play a back five, we play a different system. I think during the time since [Tuchel] came, I’ve adapted well.

“I think I had more problems that most of the players because I’d never played with a back five. I needed some time and I took that time to adapt, to learn from it and to improve. I think in that role, things are much better now than in the beginning.”

[25 March 2022 14:17 · Jack Rathborn]

Chelsea takeover latest: Why Saudi Media Group bid fell short

Saudi Media Group’s bid fell short of what Raine Group required to advance to the preferred bidder shortlist due to the nationality of the financiers meaning they would be subjected to a longer period of due diligence than rival bidders from the US or UK.

Their plan was also not to replicate the lavish spending of Man City or PSG’s owners, rather to replicate a Liverpool-like business plan, report Goal.

Language and cultural barriers could have meant a lengthier and more testing period to overcome prospective bidders from nationals of Middle Eastern countries.

[25 March 2022 14:02 · Jack Rathborn]

Chelsea takeover latest: Nick Candy bid fails to make shortlist

Nick Candy’s bid to buy Chelsea has failed to make the final shortlist, report the BBC.

But the Blue Football Consortium may still have a future running Chelsea.

They have been asked to speak to other bids with a view to joining forces.

[25 March 2022 13:50 · Jack Rathborn]

Kremlin confirm Roman Abramovich’s initial involvement in peace talks between Russia and Ukraine

Chelsea’s outgoing owner Roman Abramovich was involved in early peace talks following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has confirmed.

Abramovich, whose mother, Irina, was born in Ukraine, was one of several oligarchs whose assets worth billions were frozen in the UK. And now he has had his involvement in peace talks confirmed by a Kremlin spokesperson.

“He did take part at the initial stage,” Dmitry Peskov, Putin’s press secretary, said on Thursday. “Now the negotiations are between the two teams, the Russians and Ukrainians.”

[25 March 2022 13:40 · Jack Rathborn]

Saudi Media Group trolls Arsenal after failed Chelsea bid

A member of the Saudi Media Group has trolled Arsenal after his bid to buy Chelsea was rejected.

Khalid Al Khudair said he would consider buying the Gunners but only “if it was a charity case”.

He added after failing to make the final shortlist: “We did our best, disappointed, but we will continue to bleed #blue”.

[25 March 2022 13:30 · Jack Rathborn]

Josh Harris and David Blitzer near Crystal Palace dilemma

Sir Martin Broughton’s consortium is primarily being funded by Josh Harris and David Blitzer - worth £4.5bn and £1bn respectively.

Harris and Blitzer are long-standing partners in sport and business over the past decade, co-owning NBA team Philadelphia 76ers after a 2011 takeover.

But with shares in Crystal Palace, the pair would have to sell to avoid a complication and conflict of interest.

Presumably they have already revealed their intent to sell given Broughton’s bid has advanced to the final shortlist, meaning an 18 percent stake of the south London team will be up for grabs.