A group of up to eight international investors has admitted it is preparing a takeover bid offer for Chelsea.
Holger Heims, a German investment manager at Falcon Equity, said in an interview that he and a group of six to seven other investors from Europe, the Middle East and Asia were preparing a bid for Roman Abramovich's club, which is home to the captain of the German national team, Michael Ballack.
Sulaiman al-Fahim, a board member of Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment, which last year bought Manchester City, was also part of the group, Heims said.
There has been speculation that Abramovich, the man who has bankrolled Chelsea's most successful period since their formation in 1905, may have fallen out of love with the boys in blue - although the Russian billionaire has denied that being the case.
Heims declined to say how much the group was prepared to pay for Chelsea but said the investment had to add up in the medium to long run.
Heims said there had not been any talks with Abramovich yet: "We have no intention of launching a hostile takeover. This is only possible as a friendly deal."
Heims aims to push the Chelsea brand further and sees strong growth potential in Asia and the Arab world, he said.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/ja...german-investor