Bidders for Chelsea are convinced the Ricketts family are the preferred choice of the board.
The Times says that one of the four shortlisted groups is concerned that the process' rules have been 'breached' after Bruce Buck, the club's chairman, organised a meeting between Tom Ricketts and former Blues player Paul Canoville.
Canoville has publicly called for the bid from the Ricketts to be rejected as a result of past racist comments made by Joe, the head of the family.
"If they want the Ricketts family to buy the club from Roman Abramovich, just tell the rest of us now and spare us what is an awful lot of hard work," the bid adviser said.
The controversy has arisen after a letter sent to bidding groups on March 1 insisted that there should be no contact made with the executive during the sales process.
But despite this, Tom Ricketts - Joe's son - spoke to Buck and requested him to set up a summit with Canoville, the club's first black player, after the family were made aware of the mounting opposition to their proposals from the Chelsea fanbase.
Gary Trowsdale, a patron of the Paul Canoville Foundation, has shed light on the contents of the discussion between Ricketts and Canoville.
"Paul gave Tom Ricketts a severe grilling, and Tom Ricketts apologised to him for those comments that had been made by his relatives," Trowsdale told PA.
"Paul was very forthright, he told them the reason he tweeted and supported the 'No To Ricketts' campaign was because of what he'd read and seen on social media, that Tom Ricketts' family had been responsible for.
"Tom Ricketts said he wouldn't try to hide from those comments, that they weren't his values, that they were abhorrent; and he apologised.
"He explained that they are very, very keen to take the football club on, and they know they must win round the fans, and also win round Paul.
"We were impressed that he'd want to sit down with Paul, have that conversation and apologise himself for those comments that were made. He didn't make those comments himself, but he was still sitting there apologising for them.
"Tom Ricketts showed Paul total respect; it was Tom Ricketts who asked to see Paul."
He went on to add: "Ultimately Paul wasn't swayed in any which way.
"He made it clear he supported the views of the Chelsea Supporters' Trust and he'd continue to do so.
"But he did feel Tom Ricketts should be given the opportunity, now he's been shortlisted, to put forward the best possible bid."
Canoville has since revealed that he is not backing a particular bid.
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