Who will buy Chelsea? From front runner Nick Candy to bids from wealthy American family

Chelsea buyer Nick Candy has slammed the state of Stamford Bridge, insisting that one of his top priorities as owner would be to move the club to a better stadium - even if it meant relocating the team for a number of years.The British property tycoon, who tabled a £2.5 billion bid for his boyhood club through his Blue Football Consortium on Friday, said Chelsea's ground was "basically s***" and that it needed to be rebuilt from scratch before it could be deemed "fit for purpose".He compared it to Tottenham's new state-of-the-art stadium, which he described as the best in world football, as well as Arsenal's Emirates Stadium. And Candy insisted that Chelsea might have to follow rivals Spurs' lead by playing at Wembley for a period while Stamford Bridge is redeveloped."The stadium is not fit for purpose in the 21st century.

Months after the tragic loss of Halyna Hutchins, the family is staring another tragedy in the face.

Chelsea is heating up, as the process of selling the club Roman Abramovich has owned since 2003 continues.Potential buyers have until 9pm on Friday (March 18) to submit their final bids to buy the club to The Raine Group, the investment firm handling the takeover process.Several bidders have already gone public with their interest in the club and intentions to bid, including Chelsea fan Nick Candy and former US ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson.Therefore, here is a ranking of the richest bidders hoping to buy Chelsea as the deadline looms.Ghanaian gold miner Bernard Antwi Boasiako confirmed his intention to bid to buy Chelsea earlier this week but may struggle to do so on his own.According to Football.London, Boasiako has a net worth of just £7.7million through his ventures in the gold and farming industries in Africa.The reported £3billion price tag slapped on Chelsea has not fazed, Boasiako, though, and he wants to restore stability at the club and continue the legacy of Didier Drogba and Michael Essien.Chelsea fan Nick Candy is understood to be organising and leading a consortium that will bid to buy Chelsea ahead of Friday night's deadline.The property tycoon shares a joint net worth of £1.5billion with his brother and business partner Christian and has recruited Blues legend Gianluca Vialli as part of his bid.Candy was present at last Sunday's 1-0 league win over Newcastle United and the season ticket holder has been vocal in his calls for the club to be in safe hands with fan representation on the board.The overall net worth and value of the Saudi Media Group is currently unknown, although the consortium is being led by Mohamed Alkhereiji, who is valued at £1.7billion.Alkhereiji and the Saudi Media Group are

Chelsea will have to play the remainder of their Champions League fixtures behind closed doors due to sanctions against Roman Abramovich.Thomas Tuchel's side beat French Champions Lille on Wednesday evening to advance to the quarter-finals. Chelsea were able to have fans in attendance for the clash as the tickets that had been sold had been done so before 10 March.

Judge Rinder shared an emotional hug with his Strictly Come Dancing partner Oksana Platero's family on the Ukraine border after a week of trying to find them.The TV star has been on the border between Poland and the war-torn Eastern European country. Documenting his search and meeting with other refugees throughout his journey reporting from the frontline, Judge Robert Rinder, 43, was finally able to share a selection of poignant images uniting with 33 year old Oksana's relatives.

Chelsea, saying that before he was about to sign for Liverpool, the club's owner Roman Abramovich turned up trying to get him to stay.The former England defender, 37, was at Stamford Bridge from 2003 to 2007 having joined from Portsmouth - before he made the move to Anfield. But before he signed on the dotted line, he had Abramovich - who is currently sanctioned for his ties with war aggressor Vladimir Putin - and his entourage at his home, attempting to persuade him to remain with the club.

British billionaire Nick Candy is firmly in the spotlight right now as he considers a bid to take over Chelsea FC from Roman Abramovich. The 49-year-old property developer is in talks with financiers as he looks to form a consortium to buy the club, and will push ahead despite Russian oligarch Abramovich being sanctioned. He recently promised fans they would get a seat at the board should he be successful in buying Chelsea FC, stating that ‘the fans and the community are central to its continued success.

Chelsea and claiming that the club "don't understand the seriousness" of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was arrested for stealing a trainload of diesel according to BBC Panorama. The Russian oligarch, 55, has seen his assets seized by the UK Government - including Chelsea Football Club - as Boris Johnson orchestrates a crackdown on high-profile businessman with links to Vladimir Putin.

Chelsea have reportedly sent out brochures to investors interested in buying the club – and have even outlined some of the perks awaiting any new owner.Roman Abramovich has officially put the club on the market after a trophy-laden 19-year spell at the helm.And after the Russian oligarch was slapped with sanctions by the UK Government, the race is on to strike a deal for the Blues.A string of billionaires have already been linked with a big bucks takeover including British billionaire Nick Candy.However, a new report from The Daily Mail claims that there are around 200 parties interested in purchasing the reigning European champions.And prospective buyers have even been sent a brochure outlining some of the potential opportunities and benefits that they could take advantage off.One of those opportunities is linked to Stamford Bridge, with interested parties told in the brochure that they could more than double their match-day revenue if they can find a way to redevelop the Blues' stadium.It's estimated that any prospective buyer would see their match-day income rocket from £70million to £200m per year if the capacity in SW6 can be boosted from 45,000 to 62,500.How do you think Chelsea will adapt without Abramovich? Give us your thoughts in the comments sectionAnd the catalogue also raises the possibility of purchasing the nearby Fulham Broadway shopping centre; raising the possibility that the area could be converted into both commercial and residential properties.There are other benefits outlined in the brochure, such as a lack of naming rights and the potential to revamp the Blues' commercial model.All prospective buyers have been provided with a substantial checklist of items to submit alongside their offer with the

Chelsea could have the support of trillionaire backers should the Saudi Media Group be successful in their bid to buy the club from Roman Abramovich.Stamford Bridge chiefs have had interest from hundreds of potential backers following the news that Abramovich had chosen to sell before being frozen out after Vladimir Putin's Ukraine invasion begun.Having been linked to Todd Boehly and Nick Candy among others, the Saudi Media Group have put in a bid worth £2.7billion with Blues fan Mohamed Alkhereiji leading the pirate consortium.Although Alkhereiji's net worth is said to be in the region of around £1.7bn, the bid is said to have the backing of Mohammed bin Khalid Al Saud.CBS Sports report that Khalid Al Saud, who is a member of the House of Saud, has offered up his support.The House of Saud are thought to have assets worth an astonishing £1.19trillion - which is far more than both Newcastle and Manchester City have at their disposal.While City owners the Abu Dhabi Group alongside Sheikh Mansour are thought to have a net worth of around £9.2billion, Newcastle's Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia have around £500bn.However, there is one huge caveat to the Chelsea links - with Khalid Al Saud said to be involved in a supportive way to help find funding - and not funding a move himself.Will Chelsea win a major trophy this season? Give us your thoughts in the comments sectionWith talks ongoing at Stamford Bridge, Roman Abramovich was seen for the first time in public after having his assets frozen by the UK government.The Russian oligarch was spotted in the VIP lounge at Ben Gurion International airport in Lod, Israel sporting a grey beard and glasses.Although he is barred from entering the UK due to long-standing visa

Chelsea by lodging a whopping £2.7billion bid.The Blues are up for sale after Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government over his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin.Several parties have gone public with their interest in buying the club since Abramovich announced his intention to sell the club following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.The reigning European champions are currently operating on a day-to-day basis after government sanctions imposed on Abramovich and the club resulted in the Blues' revenue streams being put on hold.According to CBS, the Saudi Media Group have now launched a bid to buy the Premier League giants, lodging a £2.7billion for the club.The leader of the private consortium, Mohamed Alkhereiji is said to be a Chelsea fan and his bid has no direct links to the Saudi government.Newcastle United were purchased by a consortium fronted by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund back in October last year.However, Mohammed bin Khalid Al Saud, a member of the Saudi royal family, is reportedly in support of finding funding and partners for the bid.Will Chelsea qualify for the Champions League this season? Let us know in the comments section below.Despite this, he has not yet backed the bid financially, according to CBS, and is also the chair of the Saudi Telecom Company [STC].STC is a state-owned Saudi corporation, with Newcastle's new owners still having a share in the business, although they did sell some in December.As a result, STC would be prevented from being a part of any consortium bidding to buy Chelsea due to the links with Newcastle.British billionaire property developer Nick Candy is one of a number of other potential buyers understood to have an interest in buying the club.Candy

Chelsea handed out huge fees to agents right before Roman Abramovich was sanctioned on March 10.Data from February 2021 via the FA show that they paid £35million to intermediaries last year, the highest of any Premier League club.And fees this year were paid just days before Abramovich had his assets in the UK frozen over links to Russia president Vladimir Putin.Agents paid will have included the likes of Mino Raiola, who represents summer signing Romelu Lukaku.According to The Athletic, Chelsea usually make commission payments biannually, with intermediaries ordinarily paid in September and February.The most recent payment date would have fallen shortly before the sanction saga began, which has caused huge financial worry for Chelsea, the team, the staff, and the fans.Additionally, some 1,000 jobs are on the line owing to the sanctions currently put on the club by the UK government. Technical director Petr Cech even admitted he “didn’t have the answers” about whether the side would be able to pay staff.The club are operating but only under a special licence from the government that makes them functional as a sports team rather than as an enterprise.What do you think the future holds for Chelsea? Let us know in the comments section.The club’s oligarch owner is looking to sell the club amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Chelsea owner Ken Bates has blasted the impact of government’s sanctions against Roman Abramovich, joking that president Vladimir Putin would be “s****** himself” in response to the latest measures.Abramovich had his assets frozen in the UK after being sanctioned on March 10, forcing Chelsea to operate under a special sporting licence which limits what they can do.The Russian oligarch was in the process of selling the club, with several interested parties understood to be lining up bids, but those plans were brought to a grinding halt by the sanctions imposed on the Russian.Under the terms of the licence, European champions Chelsea cannot sell tickets or merchandise, buy or sell players, or offer new contracts until May 31 — leaving the club facing an uncertain future as they struggle to cope with their weekly costs.Bates bought Chelsea for £1 in 1982 before selling to Abramovich in July 2003 for around £140million, and the club have experienced a successful period under his ownership with 21 trophies in 19 years.And the 90-year-old, who now resides in tax haven Monte Carlo, was critical of the measures implemented that have left Chelsea potentially facing financial ruin. “The fact that you can't buy a Chelsea match programme must mean that Putin is s*****g himself and all the ordinary people of Moscow are hiding in their cellars because they can't see a Chelsea match on TV,” he told the Daily Mail.“As usual it is the ordinary people who are suffering.

BAFTA 2022 Film Awards are taking place amid Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. And Millie Mackintosh showed solidarity with war-torn Ukraine as she wore a blue and yellow ribbon as she graced the red carpet at London's Albert Hall on Sunday. The Made in Chelsea star, 32, was the picture of elegance in a stunning blush one-shoulder gown, which featured a dramatic puff sleeve and a large bow cascading down her pencil skirt.

Chelsea owner Nick Candy was spotted in the crowd at Stamford Bridge on Sunday after he explained why he is so keen to save the club.The lifelong Blues fan is said to be organising a consortium with a view of taking over the club while making sure fans have a bigger involvement going forward.The proposal is said to include a £1.5billion rebuild of Stamford Bridge, in a deal that could be worth a total of £2.5bn.That update came before Candy was spotted entering and sitting in the crowd at Stamford Bridge to watch their 1-0 Premier League victory over Newcastle.Candy himself told Sky Sports at the game: "I’ve supported Chelsea since the age of four. "My dad was asked to play for Chelsea.

Thomas Tuchel could leave the club. The UK Government this week froze the assets of Blues owner Roman Abramovich due to his association to Russian president Vladimir Putin, who launched an invasion of Ukraine two weeks ago.

Chelsea and the whole of football is a positive one.The Crystal Palace boss, who signed Chelsea defender Marc Guehi last summer and also has Blues forward Conor Gallagher on loan, made his comments after Thursday’s sanctioning of Abramovich. In response to the war in Ukraine and his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the UK government has frozen Abramovich’s assets in this country, including the South West London club.

The Premier League have disqualified Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich as a director of the club, it has been announced.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich the ‘green light’ to press ahead with the sale of the Stamford Bridge outfit.Abramovich has been sanctioned due to his ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and his assets have been frozen.However, The Athletic have revealed that talks between Raine, who are the US bank in charge of selling the Blues, and the government have been held and the process of selling the club can now resume.They go on to state that the club are confident that they can get a deal over the line within the ‘next four to six weeks’ due to the high levels of interest from potential buyers.Chelsea are currently operating under a ‘special licence’ which means that staff are still being paid and season ticket holders are still able to attend home fixtures.However, the club are not able to sell tickets (home and away), sell merchandise, buy or sell players and they are also unable to negotiate contracts with players already on their books.Thus, some of their star players could now leave at the end of the season as their current deals are coming to a close.Understandably, the sanctions on Abramovich has shaken Chelsea. But Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has continued to be open about the situation and has even confirmed his desire to remain in the Stamford Bridge dugout despite the ongoing saga, says the Telegraph.

Chelsea should be stripped of every trophy they won with Roman Abramovich’s cash, according to football pundit Stan Collymore.The former England striker said the UK Government’s decision to freeze the oligarch’s assets over his links to Russian warmonger Vladimir Putin called into question all the club’s achievements during Abramovich’s two-decade ownership.If Chelsea’s success was built on access to "dodgy" money how could the 21 trophies won with Roman’s roubles be allowed to stand, he asked.Collymore, 51, who played for a string of top clubs including Liverpool, Leicester and Aston Villa before becoming a TV and radio pundit, said punishment should be retrospective as it would be for offences such as doping and match-fixing.He said though Abramovich, 55, legally took control of the club he had been sanctioned for his historic support of Putin therefore it was logical to consider retro penalties.It was "the only way for English football to restore sanity", Collymore added.He tweeted: "So the question now needs to be asked if Chelsea's loans, access to 'dodgy' money and sanctions against its primary source of funds for 20 years is now rubber-stamped how can titles won in this period stand?"The British Government only knew Abramovich was a Putin accolyte today? Not the other 20 years? Who's leading the security services? Inspector Clouseau?"When RA bought the club the love of a team had strings attached. An oligarch.