Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich wants to sell his $3 billion English soccer club and several Americans are rumored to be interested

One of the first to express an interest in buying Chelsea following Abramovich's announcement was the Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss.

"I can well imagine joining Chelsea with partners," he said. "But I certainly don't do something like that alone."

Wyss, 86, is the founder of medical device manufacturer Synthes USA, which he sold to Johnson & Johnson in 2012.

A well-known philanthropist, Wyss has a foundation that provides funding to conservation and education. Wyss is worth $5.1 billion, according to Forbes.

Boehly is reportedly part of the group that includes Wyss and at least one other businessperson. Boehly attempted to purchase Chelsea in 2019, but according to several reports, his offer of approximately £2.2 billion (US$2.9 billion) was rejected by Abramovich.

Initial reports suggested that a sale could be made quickly to the group, and the bidders sounded confident. On Wednesday, Sky Sports reported that Boehly and Wyss have submitted a joint bid.

Boehly is the chairman and CEO of the private investment firm Eldridge Industries. In 2012, he was part of a group that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers for $3.5 billion. That group also included Magic Johnson and Stan Kasten.

Boehly also has stakes in the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.

According to Mark Kleinman of Sky News, the Ricketts family, led by Thomas Ricketts, are exploring the idea of purchasing Chelsea but have not yet submitted a bid.

"Sky News has learnt that the owners of the Chicago Cubs Major League Baseball (MLB) team have begun considering an offer for the West London club, and are expected to hold talks with prospective financing partners about a proposal," Kleinman wrote.

The Ricketts family, which made their fortune in finance and the founding of TD Ameritrade, purchased the Cubs in 2009 for $845 million (£645 million). In 2016, the Cubs won their first World Series championship in 108 years.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Johnson has spoken with the Raine Group, which is handling the Chelsea sale, and is "readying a bid" for the club.

Johnson is the owner of the NFL's New York Jets and the great-grandson of Robert Wood Johnson, one of the founders of the Johnson & Johnson company. Woody Johnson is also the former US Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Johnson would be the fifth NFL owner to own at least part of a soccer club in one of England's top two divisions.

Ranadivé, the owner of the NBA's Sacramento Kings, is the latest billionaire from the American sports world to throw his hat in the ring.

According to Scott Soshnick and Brendan Coffey of Sportico, Ranadivé is "readying a bid" for the English soccer powerhouse.

Ranadivé was the first person of Indian descent to become an owner in the NBA in 2010, when he purchased a share of the Golden State Warriors. In 2013, he was part of a group that bought nearly two-thirds of the Kings for $348 million.

He amassed his fortune as the founder of the software firm TIBCO and investment firm Bow Capital.

According to the English translation of a Turkish report, Turkish businessman Muhsin Bayrak says he is already negotiating the purchase of Chelsea and "will fly the Turkish flag in London soon."

Little is known about the bid for the club. However, the Daily Mail reported that Abramovich's private jet was recently in Turkey, fueling speculation that he may be taking the offer seriously.

According to ESPN, the private equity firm RedBird Capital, part-owner of the XFL and Wasserman Media, is exploring the possibility of making a bid for Chelsea.

RedBird already owns an 11% stake in Fenway Sports Group, which owns MLB's Boston Red Sox and Premier League side Liverpool FC. The group is said to be interested in purchasing its own English soccer club, but would need to divest itself of Liverpool first.

A British property billionaire and lifelong Chelsea fan, Candy expressed interest in buying the club as part of a consortium, according to Sky News.

The 49-year-old, who is estimated to be worth $1.1 billion, made his money through buying and selling houses in London, alongside his brother, Christian.

Among the properties now in Candy's impressive portfolio is the ultra-lavish apartment block One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge.

A wildcard entry into the list of potential Abramovich successors, MMA star Conor McGregor announced last week that he was interested in buying the club.

"I wish to explore this," he wrote on Twitter before later posting a bizarre video which depicted a computerized version of him as the Blues' manager.

Given Chelsea is estimated to be worth $3 billion and McGregor is worth $180 million, according to Forbes, the Irishman's wish seems like to stay a fantasy.