Hansjorg Wyss, Todd Boehly and Jonathan Goldstein
Wyss has been widely viewed as a front-runner from the outset as he was the man who first alerted the world to the fact that Abramovich was actively looking to sell Chelsea in a remarkable interview with Swiss newspaper Blick.
The 86-year-old has since teamed up with American businessman Boehly, who had a £2.2bn offer rejected by Abramovich three years ago, and Londoner Goldstein, whose American investment company Cain Hoy failed in an attempt to buy Tottenham eight years ago.
The trio have secured funding for a bid close to £2.5bn, but it is unlikely to be the highest offer. The consortium followed the example of other bidders by adding two well-known Chelsea fans to their team, with American PR executive Barbara Charone and British journalist Daniel Finkelstein endorsing their bid.
Charone is a heavyweight within the music industry, having worked with the likes of Madonna, Rod Stewart and Depeche Mode, and has been a Chelsea season-ticket holder since 1981. Finkelstein is also a lifelong Chelsea fan who became a member of the House of Lords in 2013.
Woody Johnson
The New York Jets owner’s mooted £2billion bid has attracted some scepticism due to his links to Donald Trump, but his advisers have pointed out that his existing connections to the UK could be a source of strength.
The 74-year-old heir to the Johnson & Johnson pharmaceutical fortune served as US Ambassador to the UK under Trump between 2017 and 2021, while his American football franchise have been eagerly promoting themselves in Europe for some time.
Johnson is planning to cement a strong relationship between the two clubs if his bid for Chelsea is successful. Despite stepping away from the day-to-day running of the Jets while an ambassador, Johnson would be directly involved if he buys Chelsea.
Lord Coe and Sir Martin Broughton
Former British Airways chairman Broughton confirmed his intention to bid for Chelsea last weekend without revealing…