Chelsea ‘in talks over Earls Court move’

November 9, 2010

Chelsea are in talks over a possible move to a new stadium in Earls Court, according to reports.

It was reported that the club are considering quitting Stamford Bridge, their home of 105 years, and moving to a new 60,000 capacity ground, which could be built on the site of the Earls Court Exhibition Centre.

A source close to the deal told the newspaper: “The discussion is now on again. It is largely because the owners are progressing alternative uses for the site and there’s lots more urgency for Chelsea to make a decision. From Chelsea’s point of view, this is their last opportunity to get a new ground and stay in the same area they have been in for over a century.”

The club has met the site’s owner, Capital and Counties, in recent months and Chelsea and its advisers are said to be holding a series of meetings to decide whether to pursue a bid or not.

A source close to Chelsea told the Guardian: “There have been discussions about it and the club is clearly considering its next step.”

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck added: “Certainly we wouldn’t leave West London or thereabouts and there are very few sites available.”

“We have to do things with our other commercial activities to make up the deficit that is created by the fact we don’t have a 60,000-seat stadium. We can’t say that we will never move or have a new stadium but at the moment, it’s not at the front of our agenda.” He added.

The Daily Telegraph however, reported that the club were unlikely to make the move.

“We will always look at proposals put to us and we get two or three of these a year. But we have no plans to move stadium at this time”, a club spokesman told the newspaper.