Chelsea are still looking into the possibility of moving away from Stamford Bridge, despite the club receiving confirmation their £80 million purchase of a site next to the current ground will go ahead.
Chief executive Chris Jurasek is believed to be particularly interested in further exploring the idea of Chelsea leaving their traditional home and this month announced the appointment of a new chief operating officer, Jason Gannon, who worked as managing director of SoFi Stadium in California.
No final decision has been made by co-owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly and the working options of staying at Stamford Bridge and redeveloping the current ground or moving to a new site and building a new stadium remain open.
Following a consultation period, Stoll, the veterans housing provider, has agreed to sell the majority of the 1.2 acre site next to Stamford Bridge to Chelsea. The club’s offer, led by board member Jonathan Goldstein, beat competition from 12 other bidders.
The sale is expected to go through early next year, but Chelsea do not intend to take possession of the site until the end of 2025 at the earliest, with the club agreeing a leaseback period so residents will not be forced to leave their homes immediately.
Chelsea’s purchase of the site is a boost for any plans to redevelop Stamford Bridge, but there is no imminent decision due on the club’s stadium with consideration still being given as to whether to remain on their current site or build a brand new stadium at a new site.
Jurasek, who is already unpopular with a section of fans, is thought to be particularly keen on fully reviewing the possibility of leaving Stamford Bridge before Chelsea commit to a decision.
While staying put and redeveloping Stamford Bridge would be overwhelmingly the most popular choice of match-going fans, there remains sizable hurdles – not least where the club would play and for how long during a redevelopment.
It has already been estimated that redeveloping Stamford Bridge would take at least five years, meaning Chelsea would most likely have to play their home games at Wembley, Twickenham or Fulham’s Craven Cottage during that time.
Moving to a new site would allow Chelsea to keep playing at their traditional home while a new stadium is built, but any move would have to be given the green light by the Chelsea Pitch Owners organisation.
At least 75 per cent of the CPO would need to vote in favour of a move to a new stadium in order for Chelsea’s owners to be able to move the club and retain the same name. The organisation has experienced huge growth over recent years and now has around 14,000 shareholders from 44 different countries.
Chelsea look to LA for inspiration
As part of Jurasek’s overhaul of Chelsea, Gannon was named chief operating officer. He has previously worked as managing director of SoFi Stadium – the stunning home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.
Gannon is now expected to play a leading role in the club’s stadium plans, although it was Goldstein who secured the purchase of the Stoll site and Janet Marie Smith, the executive vice-president of planning and development for the LA Dodgers, is still thought to be involved.
Jurasek has already made himself a controversial figure among supporters by abolishing subsidised bus travel for fans to away games and introducing premium-priced match tickets, such as the exorbitant dugout club for which fans pay over £1,000 to sit behind the coaching staff and substitutes.
Sources outside Chelsea who deal with the club have also questioned the football knowledge of Jurasek, who has never worked in sport before and has been an operating executive at Clearlake Capital, the company owned by two of Chelsea’s owners, Eghbali and Jose Feliciano.
Jurasek has not responded to a request from Telegraph Sport to explain his role at Chelsea.
