76ers Managing Partner Josh Harris is the latest North American team owner “exploring a bid” for EPL club Chelsea, according to sources. Harris has been “weighing an offer for Chelsea but has not yet submitted one,” the sources added. Any bid for the club “would probably require a divestment” from fellow EPL club Crystal Palace, in which Harris is an investor. Among those to express an interest in Chelsea are Todd Boehly (Dodgers), the Ricketts family (Cubs), Woody Johnson (Jets) and Vivek Ranadive (NBA Kings) (FINANCIAL TIMES, 3/8).
Roman Abramovich, who is unloading the club due to potential sanctions from the U.K. government, and his advisers “aim to draw up a shortlist of serious bidders for Chelsea by next week.” The Raine Group, which is handling the sale, “hopes that the deadline for initial expressions of interest will weed out unrealistic offers” (LONDON TIMES, 3/9).
