(Reuters) – Following is a timeline on the sale of Premier League soccer club Chelsea, who have been sold by Roman Abramovich to a consortium led by LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and backed by Clearlake Capital.
Feb. 24
Abramovich is named in Parliament as Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled Britain’s largest-ever package of sanctions against Russia after the country invaded Ukraine.
Feb. 26
Abramovich gives trustees of Chelsea’s foundation stewardship of the club amid calls in Britain that the Russian be sanctioned over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
March 2
Abramovich says he has decided to sell Chelsea and promised to donate money from the sale to help victims of the war in Ukraine as clamour for sanctions grows, but adds the sale will not be fast-tracked.
March 4
A consortium led by American Boehly and Swiss business tycoon Hansjoerg Wyss enters the fray to make a bid for Chelsea.
March 10
Britain halts planned sale of Chelsea and imposes sanctions on Abramovich, effectively placing the club under government control.
The team is allowed to carry on playing but the government said it was open to selling the club as long as Abramovich himself did not benefit.
March 11
Potential buyers for Chelsea told to approach the government. The club is permitted to operate under strict conditions which prevent transfer deals and new ticket sales while club merchandise store is closed.
March 12
The Premier League board disqualifies Abramovich as a director at the club after he was sanctioned by the government.
March 13
British property developer Nick Candy says he will give Chelsea fans a seat on the board if he buys the club and also provide short-term funding.
March 16
The owners of U.S. baseball outfit the Chicago Cubs team up with Citadel founder Ken Griffin to work on a bid to buy Chelsea.
March 19
Former British Airways chairman Martin Broughton says his consortium bidding for Chelsea comprises wealthy investors from around the world. World Athletics President Sebastian Coe joins the consortium.
March 24
British government amends Chelsea’s special licence to allow the club to sell tickets to fans for away games, with all revenue going to competition organisers.
March 25
U.S. Bank Raine Group, overseeing the club’s sale, adds Boehly’s group, the Ricketts family and Broughton’s group to the shortlist of bidders.
April 12-13
American investor Stephen Pagliuca hints at being prepared to divest his interest in Italian club Atalanta to buy Chelsea as he prepares to submit a bid.
NBA chairman Larry Tanenbaum and former Chelsea captain John Terry join Pagliuca’s bid.
April 15
The Ricketts family pulls out of the running to buy Chelsea citing “unusual dynamics around the sales process”.
April 21
Former tennis world number one Serena Williams and seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton join Broughton’s bid to buy Chelsea.
April 29
The consortium led by Boehly is in exclusive negotiations to buy Chelsea for $3 billion.
Pagliuca’s group is told they are not the ‘preferred bidder’ and are out of the running but British businessman Jim Ratcliffe says he made a late bid to buy Chelsea.
May 5
Abramovich denies media reports that he has asked for his loan to Chelsea — reported to total 1.5 billion pounds ($1.90 billion) — to be repaid.
Ratcliffe says he is not giving up a bid to buy Chelsea despite apparent rejection from Raine.
May 7
A consortium led by Boehly and backed by Clearlake Capital wins the bid to acquire Chelsea in a deal worth 4.25 billion pounds ($5.38 billion).
The proposal is sent to the government and Premier League for approval.
May 24
The Boehly-Clearlake consortium passes the Premier League Owners’ and Directors’ Test, paving the way for the club’s takeover.
May 25
The British government issues a licence that permits the sale of Chelsea to the Boehly-led consortium.
May 26
Portugal gives Abramovich the green light to sell Chelsea. The Russian-born billionaire became a Portuguese citizen last year and is under European Union sanctions.
May 28
Chelsea strike a final agreement to sell the club to the Boehly-led consortium.
May 30
Abramovich completes sale of Chelsea and related companies to an investment group led by Boehly and Clearlake Capital, who will share joint control and equal governance of the club.
Chelsea say Boehly will serve as chairman of the holding company.
($1 = 0.7902 pounds)
(Compiled by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
