The final whistle has blown on the bidding process.
Chelsea will be sold to a group led by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly, the English club announced Saturday.
Boehly, 46, and a consortium of investors will pay $3.1 billion for the club itself and promise another $2.2 billion for facilities improvements and investment. The $3.1 billion alone is the most anyone has ever paid for a sports franchise worldwide.
Current owner Roman Abramovich was forced to sell the highly successful club after he was sanctioned by the British government for his ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
The British government is overseeing the sale, and the $3.1 billion will be deposited into a frozen bank account “with the intention to donate 100% to charitable causes as confirmed by Roman Abramovich,” Chelsea said in a statement.
Chelsea was allowed to continue operating through a special exemption in the sanctions, but the British government had threatened to get rid of that loophole by May 31. The sale is expected to be finalized by the end of May.
Boehly’s bid was backed by Clearlake Capital, a private equity firm; Hansjorg Wyss, a Swiss billionaire; and Mark Walter, the Dodgers’ principal owner who used to work with Boehly at Guggenheim Partners.
Through various firms and partnerships, Boehly is also invested in dozens of other properties. But he found time in his busy schedule to attend Chelsea’s home match Saturday against Wolverhampton. The visitors scored in the final minute to draw the match 2-2.
With News Wire Services
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