Chelsea Bidders Bulk Up for Final Stretch

The remaining three bidders for Chelsea FC are strengthening their groups and eyeing potential hires and partnerships.

The consortium led by Sir Martin Broughton, which includes Philadelphia 76ers, Crystal Palace FC, and New Jersey Devils’ co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer, is bringing on billionaire Alejandro Santo Domingo.

Santo Domingo, a board member of Budweiser-owner AB InBev, will hold a minority stake in the team if the bid is successful.

• The consortium led by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake added George Osborne, Chancellor of the Exchequer under Prime Minister David Cameron from 2010 to 2016.
• The group, which also includes Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, hired Robey Warshaw, an advisory firm Osborne joined in 2021.
• Robey Warshaw is working with Goldman Sachs as advisors on the bid.

The Raine Group is expected to announce its preferred bidder in the coming weeks, but may wait for the Premier League to clear all three finalists first.

Atalanta Tag Team?

The third remaining bidder, Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca, also owns Serie A club Atalanta. It has been presumed that he would have to sell his stake in the Italian team if the bid is successful, but Atalanta CEO Luca Percassi is envisioning a partnership.

“An axis of collaboration could be created which for Atalanta would be very precious,” Percassi said, saying that the two clubs could strike favorable deals through the player transfer market.

UEFA rules state that if two teams with the same majority ownership are scheduled to play one another, one team would have to forfeit.