Potential Chelsea buyers told they can approach British government with takeover proposals

Nick Candy and Hansjörg Wyss among interested parties before owner Roman Abramovich sanctioned

Chris Philp, Britain's digital and technology minister, said on Friday that potential buyers could approach the government with proposals to buy the club.

Billionaires interested in buying Chelsea Football Club have been told to approach the British government with potential takeover proposals, after the sanctioning of its current oligarch owner, Roman Abramovich.

Fearing the threat of sanctions, Abramovich, 55, had been rushing to sell the club for more than £3bn, drawing interest from the British property magnate Nick Candy, the Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss, the US private equity billionaire and Crystal Palace shareholder Josh Harris, and the American part-owner of the LA Dodgers Todd Boehly.