Boston Celtics owner Stephen Pagliuca said NBA chairman Larry Tanenbaum and former Chelsea captain John Terry had joined his bid to buy the Premier League club.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Pagliuca said that Tanenbaum, who owns Canadian company Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), has become a “co-managing partner” of the bid for Chelsea.
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MLSE owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors and Toronto FC.
“Larry is a world-class personality well-respected in the global sports community, and his sports administration experience, long-term perspective and construction expertise are tremendous assets to our group,” said Pagliuca.
Pagliuca also said the True Blues Consortium, which includes fans and former players including Terry, also supported his application.
“The group welcomes the endorsement and support of the True Blues Consortium, an organization dedicated to Chelsea FC and focused on representing the interests of fans for the club,” the statement said.
Pagliuca spoke publicly about his bid for Chelsea for the first time on Monday when he vowed to make the club an ‘usual winner’.
“This process was a worrying time for the football club and the fans,” he said. “Throughout my life and career, my ethos has always been to work calmly and with integrity and to let my actions and results speak loudly.
“However, it is imperative to inform and reassure supporters about our bidder group and their commitments, to emphasize how seriously we take our potential responsibilities to Chelsea.
“Later this week we will submit a substantive and credible bid proposal – one which we expect will meet the respective requirements and regulations of the Premier League, the UK Government and UEFA – and we commit to our commitment to credibility and good care Chelsea Football Club from day one.”