Roman Abramovich and Chelsea have found a buyer.

A group led by Todd Boehly, co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, has made a colossal offer of 4.25 billion pounds (4.97 billion euros) for the takeover of the Blues, the most amount ever spent on a sports club.

"The Chelsea Club can confirm that terms have been agreed for a new group of owners, led by Todd Boehly, Clearlake Capital, Mark Walter and Hansjoerg Wyss, to acquire the club," the CFC said in a statement. published overnight from Friday to Saturday.

In the turmoil after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the billionaire put the London club, third in the Premier League, up for sale on March 2.

After a long bidding process, the group of Mr. Boehly and his partners was chosen by the New York bank Raine Group, which oversees the sale.

"The sale is expected to be finalized at the end of May subject to obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals," Chelsea said in its statement.

Nearly 3 billion euros for associations

The group of investors is made up, in addition to Mr. Boehly, of Mark Walter, co-owner with him of the Dodgers, of the Swiss billionaire Hansjoerg Wyss, founder of the manufacturing company of medical equipment Synthes, and of the American investment company Clearlake. Capital.

"Of the total investment that will be made, 2.5 billion pounds (2.92 billion euros) will be allocated to the purchase of the club's shares and this sum will be deposited in a UK bank account frozen with the intention to donate 100% of it to charity as validated by Roman Abramovich, ”said the club.

The new owners have also pledged to invest an additional £1.75 billion (€2.04 billion) on behalf of the club, the statement said.

The formalization of the takeover of Chelsea is a breath of fresh air for the English team as the operation began to drag on.

Because since their sale on March 2, the “Blues” have been playing in the Premier League thanks to a special license which prevents them from renewing existing contracts and recruiting players.

A license that is due to end on May 31.

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