Serena Williams joins bidding group with Lewis Hamilton to buy Chelsea FC

Former World No.1 Serena Williams and seven-time Formula One World champion Lewis Hamilton have joined British businessman Martin Broughton's bid to buy Premier League club Chelsea, according to Sky Sports.

Broughton, who is the former Liverpool chairman, also has a consortium that includes Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils owner Josh Harris and World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.

Williams and Hamilton have pledged an estimated £10 million ($13.06 million) each in the bid. Williams is no stranger to investing in a soccer club as she is already an investor in Los Angeles' Angel City FC, which is slated to debut in the National Women's Soccer League later this April.

Chelsea were officially put up for sale in March after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the British government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The government has allowed Chelsea to continue to operate in a limited capacity until a sale is completed and the American financial institution the Raine Group has been brought in to oversee the sale of the club. Final bids for Chelsea were submitted earlier in April, and the field has been narrowed to three potential groups.

Some other prominent names in American sports have been connected to the bidding war. At one point, there was a consortium headed by the Ricketts family, who own the Chicago Cubs, to purchase the club, but they have since pulled out. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca are also in the running to purchase the Premier League club.