As Chelsea move closer to identifying their next owner, bidder Stephen Pagliuca has added more big-hitters to his group with Larry Tanenbaum and Eduardo Saverin reportedly coming on board.
Boston Celtics co-owner Pagliuca is the head of one of four remaining parties as Roman Abramovich prepares to hand over the reins after 19 years. The 67-year-old is also a co-owner of Serie A club Atalanta, and If his Chelsea bid is successful then he will be required to dilute his stake in the Bergamo-based side.
According to Sky News, NBA chairman Tanenbaum and Facebook co-founder Saverin have agreed to back the bid, as has hedge fund founder John Burbank. Pagliuca, along with his fellow bidders, will need to put forward a final proposal this week.
In addition to his NBA involvement, Tanenbaum has football experience through his role as chairman of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). The group owns the Major League Soccer side, as well as franchises in a number of other North American sports.
Saverin, meanwhile, was involved in the early days of Facebook and made a reported £2.7bn when the company went public in 2012. He was depicted by Andrew Garfield in the David Fincher movie The Social Network .
According to Sky News' report, all four of the remaining bidders - including Pagliuca - have been in London to meet Chelsea executives. The report suggests a takeover is now likely to be completed in May.
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The four bids will be assessed by Raine Capital, who are overseeing the sale, before a successor to Abramovich is confirmed. The three others are headed up by Todd Boehly, The Ricketts Family, and Josh Harris and David Blitzer.
The interested partied have been instructed to guarantee at least £1bn in investment as they present their bids. A redevelopment of Stamford Bridge is also expected to follow from whichever bidder is successful.
"The sale of the Club will not be fast-tracked but will follow due process," Abramovich had said in a statement upon announcing his intention to sell up. The process has continued despite the Blues' owner being added to the UK government's list of sanctioned individuals.
"I will not be asking for any loans to be repaid," he continued. "This has never been about business nor money for me, but about pure passion for the game and Club.
"I hope that I will be able to visit Stamford Bridge one last time to say goodbye to all of you in person. It has been a privilege of a lifetime to be part of Chelsea FC and I am proud of all our joint achievements. Chelsea Football Club and its supporters will always be in my heart. Thank you, Roman."
