Chelsea directors Bruce Buck and Marina Granovskaia will reportedly have a role in selecting the preferred bidders that the Raine Group will shortlist in the Blues' takeover race.
With bids for the Roman Abramovich ran club now in and being dealt with by the Raine Group, all the players like the supporters are anxiously and eagerly anticipating the final decision which could still be someway off yet. The likes of Todd Boehly's consortium, the Ricketts Family's collaboration with Ken Griffin, and Nick Candy are the so called front runners in the race but don't rule out the likes of the Saudi Media Group yet amongst a few others who could make the 3-4 consortia shortlist which could be released anytime soon.
Whilst the Raine Group prepare for the next stage of the whole takeover process, manager Thomas Tuchel and co will be relieved to be on a much needed international break following a tough run of fixtures - something they have answered in emphatic style with six wins on the bounce. On the contrary, Granovskaia and Buck will be having a productive international break if recent reports are to believed amid both futures being up in the air depending on who does eventually complete the takeover of the club.
READ MORE: Have your say on the next Chelsea owners as buyer decision to be made by Raine Group
It was expected that Abramovich may have a say alongside the Raine Group in the decision making in this process with some reports even suggesting that the Russian oligarch could even interfere and reject bids. However, those reports seem some way off the mark with The Times now providing a different perspective due to what has been said by a former Liverpool Chairman who is still in the running to become part of the new ownership structure.
Sir Martin Broughton has reportedly joined up with Sebastian Coe and a few others to form their own consortium and Broughton himself has revealed that the aforementioned directors will have a big say in what happens next in the process. The Times wrote: "While the Raine Group are conducting the process, Sir Martin Broughton said the preferred bidders would be chosen by Bruce Buck, the Chelsea chairman, and directors Eugene Tenenbaum and Marina Granovskaia.
"Once 3 or 4 bidding groups have been selected, Broughton explained, the proposals will be placed under further scrutiny before one consortium is chosen. It is at that point, Broughton said, that the offer will be put forward for government approval, with a licence for sale issued once treasury officials are happy that the proceeds will not be going to a Russian oligarch whose UK assets have been frozen."
Maybe both Granovskaia and Buck still have futures in west London despite close friend and ally Abramovich not being present at the club anymore. Candy is certainly keen to retain the structure above manager Tuchel as he revealed in a recent interview with The Sun.
