Saudi consortium enter Chelsea race with £2.7bn offer

Stamford Bridge, Chelsea home ground.

Saudi Media Group have made a £2.7billion offer to buy Chelsea, according to reports. The crisis-stricken Blues are in desperate need of a sale, after Roman Abramovich’s assets were frozen by the UK government last week amid ties with Vladimir Putin.

According to CBS Sports’ Ben Jacobs, the Saudi Media Group have now entered the race.

Headed by Chelsea fan Mohamed Alkhereiji, the private consortium have tabled a £2.7bn bid for the West London club.

The Saudi Media Group have no direct ties to the country’s government – unlike the Public Investment Fund that purchased Newcastle earlier this season.

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Jacobs adds that the Saudi Media Group are receiving ‘support in finding funding and backers’ from Mohammed bin Khalid Al Saud.

This is notable as Khalid Al Saud is chair of the Saudi Telecom Company, which is a state-owned company in which the Public Investment Fund owns shares.

Alkhereiji was in attendance at Stamford Bridge in November as the Blues drew 1-1 with Manchester United.

He has previously lived in the UK, where he attended the Cass Business School in London.

Alkhereiji also has ties with Saudi football clubs Al Nassr and Al Hilal.

According to Goal, the Saudi Media Group turn over an eyewatering £770million-per-year – with other private Saudi backers set to support their bid.

Chelsea are thought to be keen on offers from Europe and the United States, to avoid potentially ‘politically sensitive’ new owners coming onboard.

But the Saudi Media Group are insistent that they do not fall into the same category as Newcastle’s PIF owners.

Their bid would be unlikely to fall foul of Premier League rules.

The Saudi Media Group oversaw the building of Al Nassr’s modern Mrsool Park stadium – and would likely look to develop Stamford Bridge.

Sanctions currently placed on Chelsea have raised fears that the club may not be able to continue running until even the end of the season, unless a sale is completed.