American billionaire Boehly 'is one of the businessmen keen to buy Chelsea in consortium'

LA Dodgers' billionaire co-owner Todd Boehly is one of the mega-rich businessmen working with Hansjorg Wyss in a bid to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, according to reports.

Russian oligarch Abramovich has signalled his intent to sell up in the wake of his country's invasion of Ukraine, amid the threat of potential sanctions from the UK government.

He is said to value the club - who are currently both European and world champions - at over £3billion, and Wyss revealed on Wednesday morning that he is already in talks to purchase the Premier League giants.

And now, as first reported by Blick and confirmed by multiple sources, Boehly is believed to be among the consortium involved in the potential purchase.

It is understood an official offer for the club is expected to be made soon.

According to reports, it would not be Boehly's first attempted foray into English football, with ESPN claiming he has previously held an interest in both Chelsea and Tottenham.

His net worth is estimated to be around £4.72bn, accrued after he founded the private investment company Eldridge Industries.

He is a part-owner of the baseball team Los Angeles Dodgers and the basketball team the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as the Los Angeles Sparks, Cloud9 and DraftKings.

Boehly also has investments in A24, Fulwell 73, and Penske Media, which owns Billboard, Rolling Stone, Variety, and The Hollywood Reporter.

Swiss billionaire Wyss was the first of the potential consortium to express his interest in buying the club, claiming he has been offered the chance to join with 'six or seven' other investors to buy Chelsea.

The 86-year-old, worth a reported £4.3bn, has admitted interest in purchasing the Stamford Bridge club from Roman Abramovich, but only in a consortium.

Russian-Israeli billionaire Abramovich has now put the club on the market and wants a minimum of £3bn, having previously turned down offers worth £2.2bn.

Wyss has admitted he will look into the details of any possible deal to buy Chelsea despite Abramovich's huge demands, with Swiss newspaper Blick claiming that three American businessmen are currently part of the consortium.

They also say that Wyss is trying to 'get more people on board' and that a deal to buy Chelsea will only be possible with 'six or seven investors'.

'Abramovich is trying to sell all his villas in England, he also wants to get rid of Chelsea quickly,' Wyss told Blick.

'I and three other people received an offer on Tuesday to buy Chelsea from Abramovich.

'I have to wait four to five days now. Abramovich is currently asking far too much. You know, Chelsea owe him £2billion. But Chelsea has no money. As of today, we don't know the exact selling price.'

Abramovich attempted to step back from the daily running of Chelsea on Saturday, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Blues boss has tried to hand the 'stewardship and care' of Chelsea to the club's charitable foundation trustees.

That led the Charity Commission to contact the Stamford Bridge club for more detail on Abramovich's plans, after several of the trustees raised concerns over technicalities.

Abramovich is now looking to sell the club but there are emerging doubts over whether the Russian oligarch will receive bids anywhere near his £3bn asking price.

There is a sense that securing an American buyer, potentially through a hedge fund, might be the best route towards a sale.

But Abramovich’s links with a Russian regime that has caused so much destruction in Ukraine could lead to reluctance from interested parties to deal with Chelsea.

Labour MP Chris Bryant has called for the UK Government to impose sanctions on Abramovich after a number of Russian oligarchs have already fallen under such penalties.

Abramovich is understood to have attempted to hand control of Chelsea to the foundation trustees in a bid to protect the club.

The Chelsea owner would not receive any protection from sanctions through stepping away from daily control at Stamford Bridge.

Sportsmail revealed on Tuesday that Chelsea trustees will insist on an impenetrable indemnity policy before agreeing to Abramovich's plan to pass over stewardship of the club to its charitable foundation.

Abramovich's proposal, which was announced on Saturday night, is in the balance with a number of trustees extremely apprehensive about accepting stewardship of the Stamford Bridge club.

And Sportsmail has learned that one of the main conditions the trustees will insist on is the inclusion of a robust indemnity insurance policy to ensure they are not liable for any financial ramifications the club may suffer while they are put in charge.

As we reported on Monday, trustees hold a number of concerns in relation to Abramovich's plan, which was sprung on the trustees with very little notice on Saturday night.

Conflict of interest is understood to be among the key apprehensions, while the morality of being the face of a football club and business that has been linked to the Russian regime that has invaded Ukraine is another major consideration for trustees.