Chelsea takeover: Lewis Hamilton & Serena Williams back Sir Martin Broughton’s bid
Lewis Hamilton and Serena Williams are among the investors backing Sir Martin Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea.
The Broughton consortium is one of three groups in the running to purchase the Premier League club for £2.5bn.
As first reported by Sky, seven-time Formula 1 champion Hamilton – an Arsenal fan – and 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion Williams have pledged investment into the bid.
World Athletics president and Chelsea fan Lord Coe is also behind the bid.
The Blues are operating under a special licence from the UK government after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned.
Abramovich put the club up for sale before he was sanctioned for his alleged links to Russian president Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.
The Press Association reports that Hamilton and Williams have been involved with the Broughton consortium for several weeks.
The group faces competition to buy Chelsea from consortiums led by Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and co-owner of the Boston Celtics Stephen Pagliuca.
American investment firm Raine Group has been tasked with selling Chelsea and the UK government is expected to issue a new licence, allowing the club to be sold once a preferred buyer has been identified.
Any sale must be signed off by the bidder passing the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ test.
Chelsea are third in the Premier League and face Liverpool in the FA Cup final on 14 May.
