Does John Terry’s True Blues Consortium stand a realistic chance of buying Chelsea?
There are reportedly more than 20 candidates to purchase Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, as the sanctioned Russian looks to sell the club. The potential buyers come from all over the world, but there is one group that is especially exciting for fans of the Blues: the True Blues Consortium.
This is a group of fans and former players and it is being fronted by John Terry. As he explained in a social media post: “Chelsea has been such an important part of my life for 22 years. I want to see the club's history and heritage protected as we go into a new era with like-minded people who have the same long-term vision of building the best football club in the world and understand how important our DNA is.”
— John Terry (@JohnTerry26) March 19, 2022
Can True Blues Consortium really purchase Chelsea?
Although there is significant support behind this group, they won’t have sufficient funds to purchase Chelsea outright. The plan of True Blues Consortium, therefore, is to buy a 10 percent stake in the club, with that minority stake in Chelsea representing fans’ voices. They have a plan in place that would allow any fan, player or former staff member to purchase a share of the club for £100, while the group is also being advised by Oakvale Capital.
Having the backing of Oakvale Capital will be key to standing a chance of success in the bidding process. As Sandford Loudon, a partner at Oakvale Capital and a spokesman for the True Blues Consortium explained: “We are united not only in our desire to ensure a bright future for Chelsea, but also in our ability to put this plan into action. We’re a group of seasoned tech entrepreneurs, financiers, HNWIs and most importantly lifelong fans, who want to make sure whoever buys Chelsea is held accountable by Chelsea fans. We will work with both the sellers and the government, as well as the bidders, to guarantee that fans have a say.”
Even with high-profile names, successful entrepreneurs and fan support, it will still be difficult for True Blues Consortium to succeed in their mission. The opportunity to own a top Premier League club like Chelsea doesn’t come up often and that is why there have been so many offers presented already. The competition is fierce, but there is confidence within this group that they could partner with the right people to buy a minority stake, after which they’d elect a representative to sit on the new Chelsea board.