Abramovich could yet choose Ratcliffe over Boehly for Chelsea sale

British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe's last-minute bid for Chelsea has received serious consideration.

Todd Boehly's consortium is understood to remain on course to be confirmed as the preferred bidder and then handed the opportunity to seal a Stamford Bridge takeover, reports PA Sport.

Britain's richest man Ratcliffe confirmed a last-ditch £4.25billion offer to buy Chelsea on Friday however, tabled at the very tail-end of the sale process.

Ineos owner Ratcliffe carried out extensive due diligence on Chelsea in 2019 only to opt against submitting a formal offer to buy the west London club.

The British billionaire had distanced himself from a bid for Chelsea in early March, with his brother Bob reiterating previous determination at Ineos not to be “dumb money" in football, but crucially, Ratcliffe never categorically ruled himself out of a bid for the Blues.

Chelsea chiefs are understood to have anticipated a bid from Ratcliffe, the 69-year-old petrochemicals boss who bought Ligue 1 club Nice in 2019.

Stamford Bridge bosses had not expected Ratcliffe to make such a late, dramatic entrance into the race however, with the British tycoon understood to have met with Blues chairman Bruce Buck on Thursday.

The Raine Group has overseen the sale process for Chelsea, with the New York merchant bank yet to comment on Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Boehly's expected status as preferred bidder.

Eldridge Industries chairman and chief executive Boehly now stands in pole position to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich.

But it is understood there would be nothing to stop Abramovich and Chelsea striking a deal with Ratcliffe, other than the race against time.