Roman Abramovich has put the west Londoners up for sale by inviting potential buyers to bid for the club this week, according to The Times.
The report claims that potential buyers have been contacted by an American-based merchant bank, who claim to be in charge of the sale of Chelsea, in a transaction that could cost as much as £4 billion.
However, The Times has added that the Russian billionaire could receive offers in the postcode of just £2 billion despite having rejected similar offers in the past.
Abramovich has enjoyed his time at the helm of Stamford Bridge, winning every possible honour available since buying the club from Ken Bates for £140m in 2003.
Chelsea's owner reportedly has three potential suitors ready and waiting to table offers; according to 90min, one of which is Sir Jim Ratcliffe, another is Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, and the third remains unbeknown.
Three candidates mean three different visions and ideologies for the club; we looked at how each could impact the Blues.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe
The British billionaire is worth around £20 billion thanks to chemicals company Ineos, already owns top-flight French outfit Nice, which he bought for around £91m in 2019.
Sir Ratcliffe could potentially unlock an exciting relationship with the Ligue 1 side, similar to Chelsea's existing bond with Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem.
Speaking to The Times, the 69-year-old explained Nice's transfer approach when criticising Manchester United's spending, offering an insight into how the British billionaire's project at Cobham could look.
"United have spent an immense amount since Ferguson left and been poor, to put it mildly. Shockingly poor, to be honest," he said.
"We have a different approach here to be moderately intelligent about it. Try to do it more grassroots, trying to locate young talent.
"Some clubs seem to have an ability to do that, Southampton, Lille. United have done it really poorly. They have lost the plot there somehow."
Hansjorg Wyss
In an interview with Swiss newspaper Blick, Wyss claims he has been given the opportunity to buy Chelsea as part of a consortium of 'six or seven investors.'
The 86-year-old billionaire earned his wealth in medicine which could see Thomas Tuchel's side relieved of any injury problems should he put pen to paper.
With Wyss funding Chelsea, the club will forget what an injury looks like...
Of course, we're just joking, but Wyss will have likely been an unknown figure among fans - myself included - prior to admitting that he has been approached to buy Chelsea.
The unnamed suitor
The third and final mysteriously unnamed suitor - there's as much chance of it being Batman as it is you or me, but we can dream.
There's never going to be the perfect owner of a football club - it's impossible - but when we salivate at how Manchester City have essentially funded a league of their own, it's hard for Chelsea fans not to want £211m spent on full-backs so Tuchel can finally replace Marcos Alonso.
Let us know in the comments who would be your ideal owner in Abramovich's absence.
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