New Delhi: Premier League club Chelsea are said to be in talks over moving away from Stamford Bridge as plans to develop the current stadium seem to have hit a snag for the club. The club seeks to either expand the current 42,000-seater Stamford Bridge or move away to bigger stadium and have reportedly laid eyes on moving to Earl’s Court. Increasing the stadium capacity is one of the main priorities of the owners but that has proved difficult given the stadium’s proximity to a London tube line, which has led the owners to look for other sites.
The club has held discussions with one of the partners that are responsible for the Earl’s Court site, Transport for London (TfL) and Delancey, a British real-estate developer. The Earl’s Court Development Committee (ECDC) currently doesn’t have a football stadium in its masterplan and instead want to use it for mixed-use development. The plan is set to be presented to Hammersmith and Fulham council and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council next week.
If the ECDC get the approval for this plan, that would prove to be a major roadblock for the club. However, the key figures involved in the planning believe that they plans could be seen as too expensive by the council which would give Chelsea the opportunity to swoop in. This makes Chelsea’s proposed multiuse stadium a more attractive option because if Chelsea’s plan is approved, potential affordable housing could be built on the site. The club has reportedly identified the Lillie Bridge depot to be the area on which they would like to build the stadium.
Chelsea are in talks to leave Stamford Bridge and build a new stadium at Earls Court… ✅ pic.twitter.com/qTvCFrtmj7
— LDN (@LDNFootbalI) September 10, 2024
Chelsea’s chief executive, Jason Gannon, has been given the responsibility to lead the discussions for the same and has apparently had productive talks with both, Delancey and TfL. Any move to the Earl’s court would need an agreement with Chelsea Pitch Owners as they hold the freehold of the Stamford Bridge and could block any move away from the current Stadium. While the club haven’t ruled out staying put at their current ground, there hasn’t been any progress on Stamford Bridge’s redevelopment plans.
The club are also thought to be considering a stand-by-stand rebuild of the stadium considering knocking down Stamford Bridge would see the club move to a temporary home like the Wembley for a few years, just like Tottenham had to move while they were rebuilding the current Tottenham Hotspur stadium. If Chelsea are to move to Earl’s Court, they need to submit a bid for the same and is estimated to be valued at around £500 million.
While there are many external factors that could be an obstacle for the club in getting a new stadium, the civil war that is brewing between the co-owners could be another massive roadblock. Both Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly seem to have had a falling out with one another and are looking to buy each other out.
The London based club is said to have drawn up plans over building a new stadium at Earl’s Court. The owners are committed to maximizing the revenue, doing so by building one of the biggest and best stadiums in the country. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
