Yahoo Sports Chelsea win £80m bidding war for 1.2 acre plot to take step closer towards Stamford Bridge rebuild
Chelsea have taken a significant step towards committing to the £1.5 billion rebuild of Stamford Bridge by winning a bidding war to buy a 1.2 acre plot of land next to the existing stadium.
Housing association Stoll have confirmed the sale in principle of the land to Chelsea, who are believed to have agreed to pay in the region of £80 million to see off 12 other bids.
While buying the land does not yet offer a cast-iron guarantee that Chelsea will remain at Stamford Bridge, well-placed sources confirmed it is a big step in that direction and points towards the club’s owners working towards that plan.
The sale of the Stoll site to Chelsea is still subject to resident consultation, which will end on September 20 when a final decision will be confirmed.
Chelsea still have a number of logistical problems to overcome to rebuild Stamford Bridge on the existing site, but buying the Stoll land will give the club the capacity to open up a large area in front of the stadium to create a fan experience and build offices.
Underlining the importance of successfully buying the Stoll site is the fact Chelsea board member Jonathan Goldstein, who is in charge of the club’s stadium project with Janet Marie Smith, the executive vice president of planning for the LA Dodgers, has been working around the clock on it for a number of months.
Confirming Stoll has agreed a deal in principle to sell to Chelsea, chair of trustees air vice-marshal (retired) Ray Lock said: “The board assessed many factors, and concluded that the Chelsea FC ownership group offered the strongest bid in terms of how it would support Stoll and our residents during the process, its financial offer which would secure the future sustainability of the organisation and its understanding of the charity and the importance of continuing to have a positive impact on veterans’s lives for generations to come.”
Chelsea have also studied the advantages and disadvantages of trying to redevelop Stamford Bridge stand by stand, which has been rated as the least likely option, and moving the stadium to a new site which would require the green light from the Chelsea Pitch Owners group.
But, given the £80 million commitment to buy the Stoll site, staying at Stamford Bridge and rebuilding the stadium is now rated as the most likely scenario, even though a final decision is still yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, Chelsea have ditched their demand for a fee for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by agreeing to allow him to move to Marseille on a free transfer.
Aubameyang has agreed a three-year contract with the French club and was scheduled to travel to Marseille on Wednesday to complete the move.
The departure of Aubameyang is the latest in the huge Chelsea clear-out, with the club still working to offload Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech.
Aubameyang was signed at the end of last summer’s transfer window for £12 million after he agreed to link up with his old Borussia Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchel again.
But Tuchel was sacked just a week after Aubameyang’s arrival and the former Arsenal captain was then left out of Chelsea’s Champions League squad for the knockout stages of the competition by Graham Potter.
Aubameyang made just 15 League appearances for Chelsea, scoring once, and he netted twice in six Champions League appearances.
There had been interest in Aubameyang from Saudi Arabia, but the player was keen to remain in Europe and base his family somewhere they could settle.
Aubameyang reported back to Chelsea for pre-season training with Lukaku and Ziyech on Tuesday, having been left off the tour of the United States, but his return has been short-lived.
Other than Aubameyang, Chelsea have this summer sold Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Christian Pulisic and seen N’Golo Kante and Cesar Azpilicueta leave on a free transfers. The club also confirmed the permanent departure of Ethan Ampadu to Leeds United.
Chelsea will make a third bid to try to sign midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton and are having to consider whether or not to enter the market for a new defender following Wesley Fofana’s ACL injury that required surgery and will keep him out for an extended period.
