Asian and US groups start ‘exploratory talks’ to buy out Roman’s Chelsea stake
team’s showing he then made a final double change — throwing on Andreas Pereira and teenager Mason Greenwood. Lukaku was one of those replaced to rest his legs for the Nou Camp.
No sooner had they stepped on to the pitch than Antonio cut inside the United back line and thumped a shot against the crossbar with De Gea beaten. The Spanish keeper then pulled off an incredible save to deny Antonio’s downward header.
Having ridden their luck, United then struck after 79 minutes. Anthony Martial sprinted clear and though a chasing Ryan Fredericks claimed he nicked the ball with a tackle from behind, he also got enough of the Frenchman to warrant the spot-kick.
For the second time, a no-nonsense Pogba ran straight up and smashed it home, this time in the bottom left-hand corner. Manchester United (4-2-3-1): De Gea 6; Dalot 6, Jones 5.5, Smalling 6.5, Rojo 6 (Pereira 75min, 6); Fred 6, Pogba 6.5; Lingard 6, Mata 5.5 (Rashford 55, 7), Martial 6; Lukaku 6.5 (Greenwood 75, 6). Booked: Mata. subs (not used): Romero, Lindelof, Pereira, Darmian, McTominay, Greenwood. West haM (4-2-3-1): Fabianski 7; Zabaleta 6.5 (Fredericks 76, 5.5), Ogbonna 6, Balbuena 6, Masuaku 6; Rice 6, Noble 6.5; Snodgrass 6.5, Lanzini 7 (Diangana 62, 6), Anderson 7.5; Hernandez 6.5 (Antonio 73, 7). Booked: Fredericks. subs (not used): Adrian, Obiang, Diop, Fredericks, Antonio, Holland, Diangana. referee: G Scott 5.5. CHELSEA have held talks with three interested parties over the potential £2.5billion sale of the club.
They are believed to have included US and Asian-based finance groups, while Britain’s richest man Jim Ratcliffe has also expressed an interest, as first revealed by Sportsmail last year.
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck recently insisted owner Roman Abramovich was committed to the London club despite stopping attending games, But it is understood that Chelsea officials have held what have been described as ‘exploratory talks’ with the three parties in recent weeks.
Abramovich is not believed to have attended any Chelsea games since being denied a visa in May 2018. The 53-year-old Russian billionaire subsequently sought Israeli citizenship, moving to Tel Aviv.
He has spent between £1m and £3m on corporate hospitality boxes at Stamford Bridge every year since 2011 but did not buy any before the start of this season for almost a decade.
Abramovich has continued to pump money into Chelsea, however, and the total debt owed to him by the parent company increased by £75m last year. It now stands at a total of £1.25bn, money he would want to recoup if the club were sold.
Leading football club acquisitions company, Oakwell Capital, said well respected US and Asianbased finance groups have emerged with a renewed interest in Premier League clubs, because many have posted healthy profits. Tottenham, Liverpool and Burnley are among clubs to have announced record profits recently.
Ratcliffe was interested in buying the Stamford Bridge club, but his valuation is vastly below the £2.5bn valuation set by Abramovich.
Ratcliffe has reportedly turned his attentions to buying French outfit Nice, currently seventh in Ligue 1, and would face considerable competition to complete a deal for the Blues should he return to the negotiating table.