Chelsea: British billionaire Nick Candy says he is planning takeover bid

Nick Candy, a British billionaire, is actively exploring a number of options for a potential bid to buy Chelsea.

Candy is trying to form a consortium with international investors.

The club was put up for sale last week due to the crisis in Ukraine.

Candy believes that his background as a property developer could give him an advantage over the other side of the bridge.

There are 20 credible interested parties being handled by the Raine Group, with a deadline of 15 March before assessing a handful of final bids.

Nick Candy is exploring a number of options for a potential bid for Chelsea, according to a statement.

We have serious interest from several international partners, and any bid would be made in conjunction with another party.

Mr Candy has a very close relationship with her. His father was asked to play for the club and he has been watching it since he was four years old.

Three years later, the project for a new 60,000-seater stadium at the site of the old one was put on hold.

The club deserves a world-class stadium and infrastructure and Mr Candy's unique expertise and background in real estate would be a huge asset to deliver this vision.

After the invasion of Ukraine, Abramovich decided to sell the club completely, even though he intended to give stewardship and care to the foundation. Russian President Vladimir Putin has not been denied ties by Roman Abramovich.

Who has announced their bid to buy Chelsea?

Only a few interested parties have come forward so far.

Todd Boehly and Hansjorg Wyss.

Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and US businessman Todd Boehly are trying to take over the club.

Wyss told Swiss newspaper Blick last week that he had been offered the chance to buy the club.

The 86-year-old, worth an estimated 3.8 billion dollars, said that the threat of sanctions was the reason whyAbramovich wanted to get rid of the club quickly.

Boehly, who is a part owner of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, was previously linked with a takeover of Chelsea.

Bayrak is named Muhsin.

Bayrak says he will fly the Turkish flag in London soon, after he launched a bid to buy the club.

Bayrak is the chairman of AB Grup Holding, which he founded in 1999 and has investments in a number of sectors.

Bayrak's lawyer will be in London for talks on Thursday, according to sources close to Bayrak.

Others.

Other parties reported to be interested include New York Jets owner Woody Johnson and a Saudi Arabia-based consortium.

Jim Ratcliffe, a British billionaire who owns Ineos and Nice, has shown interest in buying a club, but he doesn't see it as good value.

Analysis

Alistair Magowan works for the BBC.

The general feeling is that those making a media play are not the most likely to win, but that is not to say that they won't.

The American investment firm Raine Group, which is handling the sale, wants to maximize price and transaction certainty, which could rule out those who may run into trouble with the Premier League owners and directors test.