‘We’re going to build something new’ – Todd Boehly gives major Chelsea stadium update and vows to leave Stamford Bridge
TODD BOEHLY has indicated Chelsea WILL leave Stamford Bridge and move into a new stadium.
The Blues have touted a move away from their iconic home in SW6 for over two decades.
Plans for a £500million, 60,000-capacity redevelopment were initially confirmed in 2015 when Roman Abramovich was still owner, only to be scrapped three years later.
SunSport revealed last month that ambitious chief Boehly has sounded out a new site in Earls Court.
The American tycoon has now confirmed the club is eyeing a move away from the Bridge – which has been their home since 1905.
Boehly told Bloomberg: “I think we have to think about long term, what we are trying to accomplish.
“We have a big stadium development opportunity that we have to flesh out.”
He continued: “Stadium development is a theme [around the world].
“Sporting infrastructure, we’re very much on the front end of the sporting wave.
“We have 16-20 years to figure this out.
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“Obviously, inside of London it’s really complex. It’s not as if we’re building something in the middle of a rural environment.
“We have a lot of constituencies to make sure that we care about.
“Certainly the Chelsea fanbase is one. But long term, I think we’re going to be building something new.
“And we’ll figure that out.”
Manchester United announced ambitious plans earlier this month to build a new £2bn, 100,000-seater stadium.
The plans to regenerate the local area around Old Trafford have received government backing.
And any move to Earls Court could see Chelsea benefit from a similar scheme.
Stamford Bridge’s location makes it difficult to expand, with the stadium the ninth biggest in the Premier League.
Any move away from the stadium would have to be agreed with The Chelsea Pitch Owners.
The supporter group owns the freehold of the Stamford Bridge site.
Hundreds of fans protested last month against Boehly’s ownership after a string of poor results since the New Year.
The American led a 2022 takeover of Chelsea with investment group Clearlake Capital.
He has since spent over £1.2billion on transfers – but the club has gone through three permanent managers and several interim bosses, while failing to mount a Prem challenge.
The American claims the “status quo is just fine” in West London after a turbulent period on and off the field.
Addressing any “tension” in the boardroom, he said: “We’re executing on a plan that ultimately will have Chelsea where they belong.
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CHELSEA missed the chance to pull clear in the race for Champions League football as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.
Mikel Merino scored the only goal of the game as the Blues produced a limp performance at the Emirates.
They were without several key men including Cole Palmer.
And they struggled to create chances against Arsenal with a threadbare subs bench to boot.
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“We’re sitting in the top four of the table right now.
“I think the status quo is something that is just fine.
“I think we’ve learned from each other and I think we’re really going to be able to work it out any which way.”
Boehly struck a defiant tone as he responded to the fan backlash last month.
Chelsea have dished out long-term contracts of up to TEN years to numerous stars, including Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia.
Speaking at the FT Business of Football Summit, Boehly said: “The criticism is just par for the course.
Strikers are hard to find. You can’t get one from the grocery store.
Todd Boehly
“The sooner you learn you won’t keep all the people happy all the time that brings freedom.
“So you don’t have to live with their words.
“You can’t turn left and then right every three minutes, which is some of the advice we get, if you boil it down.”
And defending the transfer policy, he added: “Strikers are hard to find. You can’t get one from the grocery store.
“It’s an amazing skillset and you have to have a fantastic mentality.
“The most misunderstood thing is that we’re thinking about it measured in years, not months.
“You have to think both short and long-term.
“We’re focused on a combination of both and seeking the best possible way to execute that. It’s a balancing act to figure that out.”