Stephen Pagliuca: Boston Celtics owner breaks silence, vowing to make ‘substantial’ Chelsea bid
Potential Chelsea FC buyer Stephen Pagliuca says he will submit a “substantial and credible” bid for the European champions, while hinting at reducing his stake in Italian club Atalanta.
In a statement reported first by Sky News, the co-owner of the Boston Celtics basketball team also pledged to support both the men’s and women’s teams and the Blues academy if his bid is accepted this month.
“Throughout my life and career, my ethos has always been to operate quietly, with integrity, and let my actions and results speak loudly,” said Pagliuca.
“However, it is imperative to clarify and assure supporters about our bid group and its commitments, to emphasize how seriously we take our potential responsibility to Chelsea.”
Pagliuca acknowledged that it “has been a disconcerting time for the football club and fans”, after Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, prompting him to put the club up for sale.
Along with a group of co-investors, he bought a 55 per cent stake in Atalanta earlier this year, but European football’s rules forbid two teams owned by the same group from competing in the same competition.
In the American’s statement, he hints at reducing his stake with the Italian side saying that he expects his bid to “meet the respective requirements and regulations of the Premier League, UK Government and Uefa”.
The co-chairman of Bain Capital then moved on to wish Thomas Tuchel’s side “the very best of luck ahead of tonight’s Champions League match against Real Madrid.”
“Having witnessed a great 6-0 win against Southampton last week, I hope to see a comeback for the ages against Real Madrid in the quarter-final second leg,” he said.
“We will support our players and managers to make sure that Chelsea are habitual winners and title contenders, whether in the Premier League, Champions League or the Women’s Super League, the only Super League we intend competing in, for the record.”
The four remaining bidders for Chelsea have a deadline of Thursday to submit their bids, before the club are expected to present their preferred bidder to the government and the Premier League on April 18.