Chelsea FC is considering building a stadium that could cost up to £2bn and see the team play away from Stamford Bridge for four years, according to the Mail On Sunday.
The Premier League football club, which was bought by a consortium led by US businessman Todd Boehly last year, could reportedly play at Fulham’s Craven Cottage, Twickenham or Wembley on a temporary basis.
Boehly bought Chelsea last May for a fee of £2.5bn, with a further £1.75bn committed to invest into Stamford Bridge, which has been the Blues’ home since 1905.
However, reports that the club plan to bulldoze the current ground would face significant challenges. Railway and tube lines, an underground river and an adjacent cemetery could force the club to rotate the pitch 90 degrees to stay on the current site.
The report suggests that Boehly has already informally approached another American billionaire, Fulham FC owner Shahid Khan, about using his club’s 25,000-capacity Craven Cottage which has recently undertaken some redevelopment of its own.
One possibility also noted is playing most league games at Craven Cottage, with Champions League and category A Premier League fixtures played at Wembley or Twickenham.
Chelsea is also thought to have approached the Rugby Football Union, which is keen to expand the number of non-rugby events held at Twickenham to boost revenues and help pay for future refurbishments.
The club face a minimum of four years away from Stamford Bridge should they decide to rebuild it, with the owners reportedly keen to dig several metres lower than the current pitch due to height restrictions.
The club is expected to find out this month whether it has acquired a 1.2-acre site next to the stadium for £50m. The land belongs to Stoll, a housing association for military veterans.
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