‘Boehly group to be Chelsea’s preferred bidder’

TODD Boehly’s consortium is expected to be named the preferred bidder in the race to buy Chelsea, the PA news agency understands.

The Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner’s bid is now expected to win the battle to buy the Blues from Roman Abramovich.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 11th-hour bid for the Stamford Bridge club is thought to have complicated matters yesterday, but American business magnate Boehly is understood to remain on course for success.

A spokesperson for Boehly’s consortium refused to comment last night, but the chairman and chief executive of Eldridge Industries is thought to have taken a giant step towards becoming the new Chelsea owner.

Boehly has paired up with fellow

Dodgers owner Mark Walter, British businessman Jonathan Goldstein, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and US investment firm Clearlake Capital in their consortium offer for the Blues.

Ineos owner Ratcliffe’s last-ditch £4.25 billion offer to buy the Blues yesterday added another late twist to the eight-week saga of Chelsea’s very public sale process.

New York merchant bank the

Raine Group has conducted the sale of the club, and must now present Boehly’s consortium as the preferred bidder to the UK Government.

Boehly and his partners must pass the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ test.

Boehly, Sir Martin Broughton and Steve Pagliuca were the three bidders taken forward into the final stage of the sale process.