NBA Chairman Larry Tanenbaum has joined Stephen Pagliuca’s bid to takeover Chelsea, according to reports. Pagliuca, who also owns Serie A side Atalanta, is one of four bids left on the shortlist put together by Raine Bank.
The two consortiums led by Todd Boehly and the Ricketts family have already been shown round the Cobham training base, while Boehly was pictured and filmed at Stamford Bridge watching on from the executive box as Chelsea fell to a first-leg Champions League defeat against Real Madrid. It was a move that appeared to go down well in the fanbase.
Pagliuca followed suit, copying the trick to reportedly attend the match between the Blues and Southampton at the weekend. Thomas Tuchel ’s men came out as 6-0 winners on the south coast that day.
READ MORE: Every word Thomas Tuchel said on Chelsea, Real Madrid dream, Romelu Lukaku and Cesar Azpilicueta
Tuchel has already given his backing to whoever ends up winning the ownership race in the next few weeks, saying: “It is a huge amount of money, that’s why I am also confident because I think if somebody buys a club for this kind of money then it’s about challenging at the highest kind of level, then it’s about trophies, then it’s about winning and it’s about being the best you can. It's not about developing a project, it's not about making money with the club."
All interested parties are believed to have until later this week to improve their offers as the Raine Group prepares to make the next big decision in the takeover saga. It appears in an attempt to make a push for the West London club, the consortium led by Pagliuca has added another party to the team.
Sky Sports reports that the Chairman of the NBA, Larry Tanenbaum, has now joined the bid as part of the Atalanta owner’s consortium. It could be a move that sees the tide turn in their favour.
With only days remaining until final bids are locked in, the ownership race appears to be nearing its final stages. What this means for the future of Chelsea remains to be seen, but it could be the most important choice the club makes in years.
