A consortium is in secret talks to gain control of Chelsea Football Club and the Chelsea Village complex from Ken Bates, according to reports. Speculation suggests that the company driving the deal is the Rotch Property Group, owned by the wealthy Tchenguiz brothers Robert and Vincent. It is believed that the debts of parent company Chelsea Village, which are running at £99.3m, will be taken on by the consortium if the deal goes through. The talk is that the group will also provide a crucial cash injection of about £52m and chairman Bates will be given an above-market rate for a large proportion of his 29% shareholding. Bates will continue at the club in a senior position, but day-to-day control will fall to the consortium members. Sources at the club say talks have been under way for at least a month and could result in a deal soon. It is thought that if approved, one of the new consortium's first moves will be to ask some squad members to take wage cuts - the first time such demands will have been made in the Premiership. The club have seven players on £2m a year or more. While I would love to see a new chairman, this doesn't sound good. These new owners would be shipping players out the door it appears. Let's hope TeamTalk got this one wrong as well.
more on this http://www.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=884&p=2&stid=8280728 First order of business: selling the hotels and well-paid players (Jimmy, Dessa, ...).
and Football.365 get in on the act claiming our first order of business in January will be to cash in on Eidur. Man Utd, Deportivo La Coruna and Barcelona all supposedly interested at a proce of 14 mil.