The Chelsea owner battle has escalated after American tycoon Ken Griffin teamed up with the Ricketts family to become the last party to confirm their interest in buying the club.
In the Sportsmail learned that the astronomically wealthy American family is trying to buy Chelsea in 2018, with sources claiming that they have even made a formal offer for the club.
As part of these efforts, the Ricketts family has completed extensive due diligence, which they believe will give them an edge in the race to become the club’s new owner.
There is an understanding that there is more groundwork to complete as their previous interest stretches back four years, yet the family believes they are ready to move quickly with an offer with just two days until the deadline for bids.
With just two days until the deadline to bid, the Ricketts family – who own the Chicago Cubs baseball franchise – have gone public with their intention to offer the Stamford Bridge Club until Friday the deadline.
It is understood that the Ricketts teamed up with Griffin, the billionaire hedge fund tycoon, to form a consortium to buy Chelsea.
“The Ricketts family, owners of the Chicago Cubs, can confirm that they are leading an investment group that will make a formal offer for Chelsea Football Club this Friday (March 18),” reads a statement.
As a longtime operator of an iconic professional sports team, the Ricketts family and their partners understand the importance of investing for success on the pitch, while respecting club traditions, fans and the community.
‘We look forward to sharing more details of our plans in time.’
American tycoon Ken Griffin has teamed up with Chicago Cubs owners to buy a blockbuster offer for Chelsea
Griffin has teamed up with Chicago Cubs president Thomas Ricketts (center) and his family
It is also reported that the Ricketts’ interest in Chelsea was shown earlier in 2018
WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT KEN GRIFFIN AND THE RICKETTS?
Griffin is the founder and CEO of Citadel, an American multinational hedge fund and financial services firm.
Forbes recently estimated his 53-year-old fortune at £ 20 billion ($ 26.5 billion), making him the 45th richest man in America.
Therefore, it is also believed that he is the richest individual in the public domain interested in buying Chelsea.
Ricketts’ family fortune now came from the founding of an online brokerage firm called TD Ameritrade, now called The Charles Schwab Corporation.
The family – including Chicago Cubs president Tom and his three siblings Peter, Laura, and Todd – have since continued to share the owners of the Cubs with their parents since 2009 through their family trust.
They oversaw the Cubs’ third World Cup title in 2016 and made sure they rebuilt the club’s home stadium.
Griffin is the founder and CEO of Citadel, an American multinational hedge fund and financial services firm.
Forbes recently estimated the 53-year-old fortune at £ 20 billion ($ 26.5 billion), making him the reported 45th richest man in America and the richest individual in the public domain interested in solving the Chelsea crisis by he bought the club from Roman Abramovich.
Ricketts’ family fortune came from the founding of an online trading company called TD Ameritrade.
They then bought TD Waterhouse for $ 1.7 billion, renamed TD Ameritrade, and are now called The Charles Schwab Corporation.
Joe Ricketts resigned as its president in 2008, but he and his family still own just under 12 percent of the company while his son Todd sits on the board.
His son Peter was also elected governor of Nebraska in 2014.
The family – including Cubs President Tom and his three siblings Peter, Laura, and Todd – have since continued to share Cubs owners with their parents since 2009 through their family trust.
They have enjoyed success over the last six years in Major League Baseball, monitoring the Cubs’ third World Series victory in their history in 2016.
Interestingly, the Ricketts family also finances a redevelopment of the Chicago Cubs home Wrigley Field, which is located in the heart of the city.
With Stamford Bridge, also located in the middle of the Chelsea and Fulham community, in need of an upgrade, the experience to develop Wrigley could benefit their offer.
However, their offer could face external issues with their offer due to historical comments by Joe Ricketts, who saw him “Muslims are my enemy” in a series of ridiculed emails. He later apologized for the emails.
The Ricketts and Griffin group are looking to become one of the top candidates to be selected as the preferred bidders after Friday’s deadline.
Trader bank Raine, who advises Chelsea on the sale, is keen to finalize a shortlist of bidders – potentially as few as three – by the end of the weekend. Sources suggested that a preferred bidder could be in place by the end of next week.
LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly, who leads a consortium that includes Swiss billionaires Hansjorg Wyss and Jonathan Goldstein, is believed to have already made an offer of up to £ 2.5 billion.
Also, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson should also put together an offer, while British real estate developer Nick Candy remains a candidate.
And in an unexpected twist yesterday, Candy distanced himself from reports that he was trying to collaborate with Boehly and Tottenham fan Goldstein.
There have been suggestions that Candy has joined the group with Boehly, Goldstein and Wyss, but the UK businessman is aware that this is not the case and says he does not want to work with a Spurs fan to buy Chelsea.
Bidders seek to buy Roman Abramovich’s club (above) after being sanctioned
A spokesman for the Candy Offer said: “This is a completely inconsistent rumor. There are no talks going on with Nick Candy and Todd Boehly and Jonathan Goldstein’s consortium, not least because Mr Candy does not want a lifelong Spurs fan as part of the future ownership of Chelsea Football Club. ‘
And in a statement issued to Sportsmail yesterday, Ghanaian businessman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, who owns a gold mine. confirmed his interest in Chelsea.
A spokesman for Boasiako told Sportsmail: “Bernard Antwi Boasiako is looking for a potential offer for Chelsea. Discussions with various parties involved in the sale have taken place.
“Chelsea have a lasting legacy in Africa, players like Didier Drogba and Michael Essien are legends of the club; the opportunity to enhance the club’s reputation in Africa is a very enticing prospect.
“Restoring stability and ensuring that there are no job losses are among the priorities.”
The deadline for this Friday is set by the Raine Group to submit bids
New York Jets owner Woody Johnson (center) has reportedly launched an offer to buy Chelsea
As it stands, real estate developer Nick Candy (center) is among the serious candidates
Meanwhile, Chelsea have been ruled out of the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against Lille, despite Abramovich being added to the European Union’s blacklist ‘sanctions.
Fears have grown in France that the Champions League clash could not continue on Wednesday after the EU followed the UK government to sanction Chelsea’s Russian owner for his links with Vladimir Putin.
After Abramovich’s British assets were frozen last week, Chelsea placed under a transfer embargo and prevented from selling tickets and goods including a ban, the club received a special government license to continue football operations in the UK.
Reports in France have suggested they need a similar license to face Lille at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium, but a UEFA official has said the EU will follow up on Britain’s sanctions, meaning they can still compete in the Champions League .
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