Chelsea 'hold talks' over leaving Stamford Bridge as plans for new building revealed

 

Chelsea have played at Stamford Bridge since 1905.

Chelsea have opened talks about potentially leaving Stamford Bridge and moving into a new stadium, according to a new report.

The Blues have spent their entire history at the ground, which is situated in nearby Fulham, since 1905.

Much like other historic football stadiums, it has undergone several significant redevelopment projects since the 1900s.

During the West Stand redevelopment in 2001, the club even faced potential administration – a crisis only prevented by future owner Roman Abramovich.

In 2015, it was announced that Chelsea intended to build a 60,000-seater stadium on the Stamford Bridge site, with the project being approved by the local council in 2017. The stadium currently has a capacity of 40,196.

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Now, according to The Guardian, Chelsea have held talks over moving to Earl’s Court, which is situated in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The Blues have held talks with Transport for London, which maintains the site, but there are said to be significant stumbling blocks in the way.

One of those is that the Earl’s Court Development Committee is presenting its ‘master plan’ to local councils next week for a regeneration of the area – but no football stadium is included.

However, it is claimed that the plans could be deemed as too expensive – which could allow Chelsea to step in with plans to build a multi-use stadium that could also allow affordable housing to be built on the site.

 

Chelsea have played at Stamford Bridge since 1905 -
Getty

Blues co-owner and chairman Todd Boehly has already spoken out about the club’s plans for a new stadium, indicating that Stamford Bridge’s location has proven to be an issue.

Speaking at a Bloomberg forum in May, he said: “We’re basically in the heart of west London.

“But we only have a stadium that seats about 40,000, and to be able to upgrade the quality of the stadium and the size of the stadium is really a priority for us over the course of the next decade.

“It’s already started. You have to have a lot of conversations with a lot of constituencies, because you’re in the middle of London.

“The good news is, you’re in the middle of London. But the bad news is, you’re in the middle of London.”