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

Sir Martin Broughton and Todd Boehly have had their bids shortlisted in the auction to buy Chelsea.

Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family were also expected to make the shortlist being drawn up by New York merchant bank the Raine Group.

LA Dodgers part-owner Boehly, former Liverpool chairman Broughton and the Cubs-owning Ricketts now lead the race to take charge at Stamford Bridge.

The front-runners in the race to buy Chelsea FC are still on tenterhooks waiting to discover whether they will make the shortlist of preferred bidders.

Todd Boehly’s consortium, Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family and Sir Martin Broughton’s offering are understood to remain favourites to be included on the shortlist.

New York merchant bank Raine Group informed a clutch of suitors on Thursday that their candidacy had been unsuccessful, the PA news agency understands.

Saudi Media Group and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson are understood to be among those who have already been informed they are out of the race.

Chelsea are braced for a new era with the Roman Abramovich era set to end amid a flurry of bids to buy the European and world champions.

After sanctions against the Russian oligarch, including the freezing of his assets, the UK government are now overseeing the move which will bring a close to one of the most successful periods in world football history following his takeover of the club in 2003.

With five Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues and two Europa Leagues, five FA Cups, three League Cups, one Uefa Super Cup and one Club World Cup, Abramovich has delivered unprecedented success for the Londoners, transforming them into one of Europe’s biggest and most successful clubs. That platform means only a select group of the uber-rich will be able to afford the purchase of the London club, here are some contenders who could buy Chelsea:

Chelsea fans will be able to buy tickets for the club’s matches against Real Madrid in the Champions League and Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley, it has been confirmed.

The UK Government has altered the Chelsea’s operating license following a round of talks and fans will also be able to purchase tickets for away games and women’s team fixtures, as long as the proceeds do not go to the club.

However, under the current agreement, Chelsea will be unable to sell any more tickets for the club’s remaining Premier League matches.

The upcoming home match against Brentford is sold out, as tickets went on sale before Roman Abramovich was sanctioned, but the home fixture against Arsenal on April 20 could be played in front of a reduced capacity with season ticket holders only able to attend.

However, a takeover could be completed by the time of the Arsenal match, at which point the club would no longer be required to adhere to the operating license.

The leading Chelsea fan group, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust, has asked the UK Government for clarity as to why they will be unable to buy any more tickets for the club’s remaining Premier League home games.

The Government has amended the club’s operating license to allow fans to buy tickets for cup games, away fixtures and women’s team matches, as long as Chelsea does not receive the revenue.

However, the group said in a statement: “The Trust will urgently seek clarity from the DCMS and Chelsea FC on why members will bot be able to purchase tickets to home Premier League fixtures at Stamford Bridge.

“The sanctions were not brought in to publish supporters - this decision is illogical and unfounded. Further amends must be made.”

The upcoming home match against Brentford is sold out, as tickets went on sale before Roman Abramovich was sanctioned, but the home fixture against Arsenal on April 20 could be played in front of a reduced capacity with season ticket holders only able to attend.

Muslim community leaders in Chicago have called on Chelsea fans to reject cancel culture and embrace “decent man” Tom Ricketts and his bid to buy the Blues.

Ahmed Rehab from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has hailed Tom Ricketts’ response to the 2019 scandal, and has now urged Chelsea supporters not to write off the Cubs’ owner’s candidacy.

“The United States is riveted by division and it’s died in the wool sides that can’t speak to one another, can’t reach over the aisle and can’t see the decency in each other,” said Rehab.

“And it’s so polarised I think it damages America and I’m seeing it in the world as well. So the reason I’m speaking out, and this is my initiative, is because of my personal values. I’m tired of seeing this, I think it’s unfair.

“It’s fine if they don’t want the Ricketts family for whatever sporting reason, but it’s not fine to use my name or my action in the past to smear this person in an unfair manner. And I will speak out and say not in my name.

“He’s a decent man, I’ve dealt with him and Julian and the team at the Cubs. They are decent people, they love sports, they are in this for sporting reasons, they would be inclusive, they would embrace diversity.

“I’ve seen nothing but positive signs once I started dealing with them. I’ve seen the attacks and I can’t stand for it. For those who are interested in truth and fairness, it’s just not right.

“I see Tom Ricketts in the community here in Chicago, out there, interacting. I like that approachability, and I think any fan would.

“I think the Ricketts family with the Cubs are genuine about their desire for diversity and inclusion. And I feel they would do a good job owning a club like Chelsea.”

Eugene Shvidler, a close associate of Roman Abramovich, has been added to the UK Government’s list of sanctioned individuals following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Foreign Office said Mr Shvidler is a billionaire oil tycoon with close business links to Chelsea owner Abramovich.

Abramovich was added to the UK’s sanctions list on March 10.

The British government will allow Chelsea to sell some tickets again after easing the terms of its sanctioning license, ensuring the Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid is not played at an empty Stamford Bridge while denying the west London club the ability to gain financially.

The reigning European and world champions had been banned from selling tickets after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned for his ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the ongoing invasion on Ukraine.

The oligarch’s assets were frozen but the government has now allowed £30m to be released from Chelsea’s parent company, Fordstam, to provide cash for the club to meet it costs. It equates to about a month’s wages.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government, placing the club’s future in limbo.

The Russian-Israeli billionaire has owned Chelsea since 2003, but he put the club up for sale amid the threat of being sanctioned following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The government’s “oligarch taskforce” has set about targeting those with links to the Kremlin and has sanctioned Abramovich due to his ties with Russian president Vladimir Putin, as well as his stake in the company Evraz PLC, which has been “potentially supplying steel to the Russian military which may have been used in the production of tanks”.

The government’s sanction paper explained: “Abramovich is associated with a person who is/has been involved in destabilising Ukraine & undermining/threatening territorial integrity, sovereignty & independence of Ukraine, namely Vladimir Putin, with whom (he) has had close relationship for decades.”

What does this mean for Chelsea?

The Saudi Media Group consortium is out of the running to buy Chelsea.

The Saudi bidders have been told their offer has not been taken forward to the shortlist stage.

New York merchant bank the Raine Group has started the process of informing the prospective buyers of Chelsea of the status on their bids.

And the Saudi offer is the first to be understood to have fallen short.