Chelsea FC v Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League
Chelsea could yet stay at Stamford Bridge (Picture: Getty)
Todd Boehly intends to ‘build a new stadium’ for Chelsea but says talks over a new ground could cause the current ownership group to split.
The future of Stamford Bridge was believed to be one of the pressing issues for Boehly and Clearlake Capital when they bought Chelsea back in 2022.
Chelsea’s 40,000-capacity stadium is only the ninth largest in the Premier League and will soon be overtaken by Everton’s new ground.
The likes of Nottingham Forest and Leeds United are currently looking to expand their stadiums, while Manchester United recently unveiled plans for a new 100,000-capacity ground costing £2bn.
Boehly says redeveloping Stamford Bridge, a stadium in the centre of London, is ‘really complex’, suggesting Chelsea could instead look to build a new stadium altogether.
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‘We have a big stadium development opportunity that we have to flush out,’ Boehly told Bloomberg.
‘And I think [the owners] will either be aligned or we ultimately decide to go our different ways.
Chelsea FC v FC Barcelona: Semifinal 1st Leg - UEFA Women's Champions League
Chelsea owner Todd Boehly (Picture: Getty)
‘We have 16-20 years to sort out Chelsea. It’s really complex. It’s not as if we are building something in the middle of a rural environment.
‘So we have a lot of constituencies to make sure we care about. Certainly the Chelsea fan base is one. But long-term, I think we’re going to be building something new, and we’ll figure it out.
‘Stadium development is going on around the world. Stadium development is definitely a theme. You’re going to see the NBA going to Europe, you’re going to see stadiums and arenas, sporting infrastructure.
Chelsea FC v Newcastle United FC - Premier League
Stamford Bridge has been Chelsea’s home since 1905 (Picture: Getty)
‘We’re just on the very front end of the sporting wave and sporting infrastructure is going to be a very big thing about it.’
California-based private equity firm Clearlake Capital is Chelsea’s majority owner, with Boehly holding the rest alongside US businessman Mark Walter and Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss.
Relations between the owners has reportedly deteriorated in recent months, though Boehly was keen to stress they are ‘aligned’ on everything else other than the future of Stamford Bridge.
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‘We’ve been aligned with what we are trying to do and trying to build,’ he said. ‘The status quo is just fine. We learn from each other.
‘If you look at the evolution of the team, we’ve been aligned on what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to build.
‘It’s a team that’s young, it’s a team that’s got long contracts. All these things were new. In order to do all these things we’ve done, it’s because we’re aligned.
Battersea Power Station, London, UK, aerial view
Chelsea previously considered moving to Battersea Power Station (Picture: Getty)
‘We’re executing on a plan that ultimately will have Chelsea where it belongs. We’re sitting in the top four of the table.’
Chelsea’s previous owners considered a controversial move to Battersea Power Station over a decade ago.
The Guardian say the club have discussed building a new stadium on a site in Earl’s Court, around a mile away from Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s home since 1905.
Chelsea FC v Southampton FC - Premier League
Fans protested against Chelsea’s owners last month (Picture: Getty)
Boehly has faced heavy scrutiny since taking over at Chelsea, with thousands of fans staging a protest against the owners outside the stadium last month.
Responding to calls to leave the club, Boehly said at a FT Business of Football Summit: ‘The criticism is just par for the course.
‘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.
Arsenal FC v Chelsea FC - Premier League
Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League under Enzo Maresca (Picture: Getty)
‘You can’t turn left and then right every three minutes, which is some of the advice we get, if you boil it down.’
Boehly’s comments on Stamford Bridge come after Chelsea’s Premier League rivals Manchester United announced plans to build the biggest stadium in the UK.
The £2bn 100,000 seater stadium will be build close to Old Trafford and be the ‘world’s greatest football stadium’, according to United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
‘Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world’s greatest stadium,’ he added.
‘Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years but it has fallen behind the arenas in world sport.
‘I think we may well finish up with the most iconic football stadium in the world.’
Chelsea are currently fourth in the Premier League and on course to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
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