Perhaps it’s because I’ve been watching the 50th anniversary screenings of The Godfather and The Godfather II that I can’t get the character Tom out of my head. He’s the consigliere, the fixer for the Corleone crime family.
Sir Martin Broughton is a consigliere. Not in the illegal, murderous Mafia sense, of course. Broughton, though, would fit perfectly into the role of consummate organiser, the one who pulls people together, who makes sure the wheels are turning in the right direction.
He did it at troubled tobacco giant BAT, again at British Airways, at the CBI, the British Horseracing Board, briefly at Liverpool Football Club and now he’s doing it again with a bid for Chelsea. On every occasion, he’s been the chairman or frontperson, speaking for others, in some cases looking after their money.
Remarkable, really. Nobody plays the system, knows how to smooth the path through the City, Westminster, Whitehall and the rest of the British Establishment better than Martin. I first met him at BAT, where he was finance director before becoming chief executive then chairman. At BA, I recall sitting in his office at the airline’s sparkling, modern Heathrow headquarters and marvelling at the fact his room was decorated with old horse-racing artefacts. It was an indication of his other job, heading the sport’s powerful regulatory authority.
What there wasn’t was any sign of his affection for Chelsea. Horses and chairing a major company like BA seemed to go hand-in-hand, both pukka and top tier. Football would have supplied a jarring note. At least if there was some soccer memorabilia, I don’t remember noticing it.
To be fair to Broughton, his love for the Blues came up in conversation. He grew up near their Stamford Bridge ground; they were his team, he had tickets for the Matthew Harding Stand, although he got to sit now and again with the directors.
The reason I mention this is that, try as I might, I cannot see Broughton as the owner of Chelsea. That, there, is the problem: if his attempt to buy the club succeeds he won’t be the owner, he will be representing the owner or owners. His is a consortium effort and strangely, Broughton won’t identify publicly the money men putting up the estimated £2bn-plus thought to be required to secure the current world and European champions. That may be because they hold stakes in rival Premier League clubs, possibly Crystal Palace, and those holdings would have to be disposed to purchase Chelsea. But that rather makes the point: Broughton will have to answer to others.
Broughton matters, since right now he appears to be the front-runner. There are several bidders, but Martin, who is a brilliant charmer and networker, seems to be in the lead. To add extra polish he’s drafted in Sebastian, now Lord, Coe, chief of World Athletics and the London 2012 Olympic Games, and fellow lifelong Chelsea fan, to work alongside him. Given their CVs (after he quit being a stellar athlete, Coe went into politics, serving as a Conservative MP and the party leader’s chief of staff) it’s not surprising that in government circles they’re spoken of as the most preferred.
That’s important, too, because since the imposition of sanctions that forced Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich to sell, the government has final approval over the buyer.
Between them, Broughton and Coe know which buttons to press – media and government-wise. Private polling has been made available to the press showing that 67 per cent of Chelsea supporters welcome the Broughton approach. Apparently they like that he’s a “true Blue”, as is Coe, and they admire how he found new owners for Liverpool in the US, in Fenway Sports Group.
No single person or entity is either prepared, or has deep enough pockets, to buy Chelsea outright
This, though, is the weakness in their bid, indeed in all the bids. In the end, despite Broughton’s impeccable credentials, it’s not his cash. The same is true of the rest of the parties believed to be interested. No single person or entity is either prepared, or has deep enough pockets, to buy Chelsea outright.
Nick Candy, the property developer, is another would-be owner who is brilliant at PR. But Candy, for his talk, is also acting for not one, but a group of investors. It’s the case with all the bidders – they’re groups. What there is not is a single purchaser, another Abramovich.
It can’t be coincidence that Abramovich ploughed a fortune into Chelsea without seeing any financial return. He departs, having made a huge loss. Yet he also leaves with Chelsea as world and European number one.
There's a different driver in the affairs of Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal. They’ve got bosses who are looking to them to make a profit. Unlike Chelsea and Manchester City, they were instrumental in putting together the disastrous European Super League. Chelsea and Manchester City loaned their support but only begrudgingly – they were deliberately late to the party and quick to exit.
Would Chelsea have achieved the same success if they’d belonged to Broughton's collection of interested investors? It’s hard to imagine – given that Chelsea was a lesser club in terms of the size of its crowds, history and global reach, and the constraints around redeveloping its stadium.
Abramovich was a remarkable example in the annals of proprietors in the modern game: generous, mercurial, passionate. He did not own Chelsea to make money. None of the bidders share his beneficence. That’s the realisation the club’s supporters face, that they reached the pinnacle because of the obsession, some might call it the craze, of one man. It’s difficult to see that being sustained, no matter how well-connected and urbane the new chairman may be.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
MATCH INFO
RB Leipzig 2 (Klostermann 24', Schick 68')
Hertha Berlin 2 (Grujic 9', Piatek 82' pen)
Man of the match Matheus Cunha (Hertha Berlin
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
57%20Seconds
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The results of the first round are as follows:
Qais Saied (Independent): 18.4 per cent
Nabil Karoui (Qalb Tounes): 15.58 per cent
Abdelfattah Mourou (Ennahdha party): 12.88 per cent
Abdelkarim Zbidi (two-time defence minister backed by Nidaa Tounes party): 10.7 per cent
Youssef Chahed (former prime minister, leader of Long Live Tunisia): 7.3 per cent
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Ramy%3A%20Season%203%2C%20Episode%201
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