Chelsea has weeks to complete sale, says UK minister

was put up for sale by Russian billionaire

Roman Abramovich

before the British government slapped sanctions on him for Russia's invasion of

Ukraine

, preventing the club from signing new players or renewing existing contracts. "Chelsea is currently living on borrowed time.

There is only a small window of opportunity for that sale. It has to happen as quickly as possible "The BBC's Newscast program interviewed Nadine Dorries. Dorries declined to explain what would happen if the window closed without Chelsea being sold but stressed that the club had "weeks" to sell.

The club's final bids were submitted earlier this month, with Abramovich promising to donate the proceeds to victims of the Ukraine crisis. According to the group, former 

chairman Martin Broughton is the leader of a group that includes World Athletics President Sebastian Coe and affluent businessmen from around the world, all of whom want to keep Chelsea in the top flight.

Serena Williams

, the former world number one in tennis, and

Lewis Hamilton

, the seven-time Formula One world champion, have joined Broughton's bid to buy the squad. Josh Harris and David Blitzer, who own sports franchises such as the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association, also support Broughton's proposal.

Todd Boehly, a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Steve Pagliuca, a co-owner of the Boston Celtics, are among those who have expressed interest in purchasing Chelsea. The Ricketts family, owners of the Chicago Cubs, pulled out of the running.

On Thursday, Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said that the team's ability to formulate summer transfer preparations is being hampered by the uncertainty surrounding the sale.

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