Chelsea keep stadium options open despite deal for land next to Bridge

Chelsea are still exploring plans for a new stadium despite finalising a deal to buy a plot of land adjacent to Stamford Bridge.

Building one of the biggest and best stadiums in the country is a key priority for Chelsea’s owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, and the path could be cleared by the purchase of a 1.2 acre site belonging to Stoll, a housing charity for veterans.

The club’s bid for the majority of the Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions site was chosen ahead of 12 other suitors last July and was rubber-stamped by Stoll’s board of trustees following a consultation period last October. But while the deal will reduce the chances of Chelsea moving stadiums, given that their footprint around Stamford Bridge will be bigger, plans have not been finalised or communicated by the club.

• Download the Guardian app from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for 'The Guardian'.

• If you already have the Guardian app, make sure you’re on the most recent version.

• In the Guardian app, tap the Menu button at the bottom right, then go to Settings (the gear icon), then Notifications.

• Turn on sport notifications.

A rebuild of Stamford Bridge, which has a capacity of 40,341, would not be straightforward, partly because the stadium sits next to a tube line and a train line.

Moving to a new stadium would depend on the club receiving backing from the Chelsea Pitch Owners, who own the freehold of Stamford Bridge stadium and the name Chelsea FC, and that would require significant negotiation.

“We are delighted to increase our footprint at Stamford Bridge and take a significant step towards ensuring the long-term financial sustainability of the club,” Chelsea’s chief operating officer, Jason Gannon, said.

“We appreciate the opportunity to work with Stoll throughout a competitive tender process and we are pleased to help ensure those veterans that wish to remain inside the Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham will be able to do so. Our thanks go to both Stoll and the local council, whose leadership has been essential to the process.”

A key consideration for all parties was ensuring that none of the veterans living on the site would be made homeless by the sale. Stoll have committed to rehome every resident in a new housing development within Fulham or in an existing Stoll site, depending on their preference. Chelsea are not due to take possession of the site until the end of 2025 at the earliest.