Bidders for Chelsea are braced to find out which of them have been shortlisted to take control of the club with Todd Boehly’s group expected to be among the finalists.

Raine, the merchant bank in charge of the sale, have kept bidders waiting for five anxious days since last Friday’s deadline.

There has been frustration among some of the bidders over the time it has taken to settle on a shortlist, but there is now an anticipation that an announcement is being prepared.

Although the wait for official confirmation on the shortlist continued into the evening on Wednesday, there were suggestions that some of those who had not made the cut had started to be told.

Sources close to the process expect Boehly’s group, who have been among the frontrunners since Chelsea were put up for sale, to be on the shortlist although there was no comment from the American’s camp.

There was also no comment on the subject from the Ricketts family, who, before the backlash from Chelsea fans, had been considered certainties to be included on the shortlist. It would still be a surprise if they did not make it past the first phase, but the online #notoRicketts protests have certainly damaged their campaign.

Despite the fact Sir Martin Broughton’s bid is being financed by Crystal Palace shareholders Joshua Harris and David Blitzer, his proposal is rated as one of the leading contenders to be shortlisted.

Raine had originally told bidders that one to three groups would be progressed and it was unclear on Wednesday night whether or not the bank will strictly stick to that plan or extend the shortlist to a fourth consortium.

That would give Nick Candy’s group, which is being heavily financed by Catalina Kim and her South Korean partners, greater hope of being part of the final process.

Kim took to Twitter on Wednesday to answer the questions of supporters, assuring them that she is a fan of head coach Thomas Tuchel and suggesting she could work with director Marina Granovskaia.

Centricus, a group including Chelsea season ticket holders, and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson are also hoping to be part of the shortlist.

Chelsea fans can buy tickets for Real Madrid tie and FA Cup semi-final

By Ben Rumsby

The ban on fans buying tickets for Chelsea’s remaining matches this season was scrapped almost entirely on Wednesday, ending the threat of their games being held behind closed doors.

The Government amended the licence that has allowed the crisis club to continue operating since it sanctioned Roman Abramovich over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, allowing tickets to be sold without them receiving the revenue.

The ban had meant only those already in possession of a ticket for a Chelsea home fixture, or a season ticket holder, being able to attend it, including supporters of their opponents.

It also meant the club facing playing the home leg of their Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid behind closed doors and their fans being banned from attending their FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace.

The licence was amended to allow both those matches – and future cup ties – to be played in front of a full house and for away fans to attend Premier League games at Stamford Bridge.

It was also amended to allow the club’s parent company, Fordstam Ltd, to pay them “up to £30,000,000.00 in respect of cashflow or liquidity issues”, which is around the same amount as their monthly wage bill.

But the ban on Chelsea non-season-ticket holders going to home league games remained in force pending the sale of the club.

A Premier League spokesperson said: “The Premier League will receive and hold any revenue from the sale of these tickets that would normally have gone to Chelsea.

“Chelsea FC have requested and the Premier League agreed that this revenue will be donated to charity to benefit victims of the war in Ukraine. The beneficiary charities will be announced in due course after consultation with the club.”