Everton Stadium the target of Chelsea taskforce fact-finding missions amid £1.75billion development plan
Chelsea have sent a “taskforce” to Merseyside to view the new Everton Stadium development and may organise a second trip soon, The Times reports.
The Toffees are well on their way to completing the new dock-side stadium which is due to seat 51,888 spectators, in a project which Farhad Moshiri recently claimed will cost £760million [talkSPORT, via Liverpool Echo, 12 January], up from the roughly £500million expected.
But the construction is the subject of interest from Chelsea bosses who have a £1.75billion development provision as part of a commitment made to revamp Stamford Bridge and make future investment when they took over the club from Roman Abramovich.
Difficulties with the West London site have now seen members of the club’s development team visit Everton to speak with developers Laing O’Rourke, who have reportedly explained how they have been able to build the Toffees’ new home on sand-based foundations.
Impressed
There aren’t many things which other Premier League clubs would head to Everton hoping to emulate right now, but the new stadium development appears to be shaping up impressively.
Moshiri has been in talks with Jahm Najafi of MSP as he continues to seek extra investment, in part to help cover the development of the project.
And the new ground being so close to completion has made the pressure to avoid relegation to the Championship over the past two seasons all the more stifling.
“Sand-based foundations” isn’t a phrase many would like to hear with regards to a major structure but might equally be levelled at some of the other plans that have gone awry at Goodison Park under the owner’s time in charge.
Sean Dyche has sparked a revival in his short time at the club, and if it continues then Premier League football will be secured for another year.
With Everton due to move into the new stadium for the 2024/25 season it will once again be a pressing requirement to be well away from the drop next season.
Given the chaos currently in progress at Stamford Bridge this season Chelsea are perhaps one of the few clubs who can’t lord it over Everton’s struggles at the moment, although one source apparently has anyway.