Report: Chelsea Sale Fee Set to Be Most Expensive Ever as Ricketts Family, More Bid

Chelsea could set a new world record for the most expensive sale for a sports club or franchise after owner Roman Abramovich put the Premier League side on the market.

According to Matt Slater of The Athletic, more than 20 groups have made a bid for the club, and many of them are close to £3 billion ($4 billion). The Brooklyn Nets' sale to Joseph Tsai for $3.35 billion holds the current record. 

David Hellier of Bloomberg reported a group led by Centricus Asset Management offered more than £3 billion ($3.9 billion) for the club. The Ricketts family—owners of the Chicago Cubs—are also among the contenders to purchase the team and have "plans to meet Chelsea fan groups in London."

Slater previously listed the Ricketts family as a favorite to buy the team along with a group led by Todd Boehly, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Ricketts family's bid has faced opposition from fans in recent days, however, over reports of Joe Ricketts, the founder of trading platform TD Ameritrade, describing Muslim people as the "enemy" in a 2012 email obtained by Splinter.

Ricketts apologized for the remarks, and the family released a statement after opposition to their bid grew: "We have developed deep and abiding partnerships with the Muslim community in Chicago, as well as with all communities of colour. Respect for diversity and inclusion are central to our family’s values. If we prevail in our bid for Chelsea, we commit to the Club and to the fans that we will actively promote these values."

Abramovich first announced he would sell the team in early March following Russia's military attacks on Ukraine. The Russian billionaire was sanctioned and had his assets frozen by the government of the United Kingdom. 

The government involvement could complicate the process, but Abramovich reportedly still has say over the final sale. 

The New York-based Raine Group is handling the sale and has reportedly "been instructed to select the best bid, not necessarily the biggest, with the Russian wanting Chelsea to go to a group or individual with a proven track record, a vision for the club and easy access to funds," per Slater. 

Raine will narrow the list of bidders down in the coming weeks with a winner eventually decided by the second week of April.

Chelsea was valued at $3.2 billion by Forbes in May 2021, tied for just 25th among sports clubs and franchises worldwide. 

The Blues won the 2021 Champions League trophy before adding a Club World Cup title this season. The team remains a contender to win the 2022 UEFA Champions League and is set to face Real Madrid in the quarterfinal.