It was reported on Wednesday that Chelsea completed the purchase of the Sir Oswald Stoll Mansions site adjacent to Stamford Bridge.
However, as per the Evening Standard, the Blues will be able to use the land only in 2027. That's because they've agreed to lease the site back to previous owners, the Stoll Foundation, which houses military veterans. This will give time for Stoll to find suitable housing for the veterans who wish to continue living in the area.
The leaseback means that Chelsea will be able to use the site for a possible Stamford Bridge redevelopment only in 2027. A complete rebuild of the current ground is therefore impossible until then.
Other options that the club is still considering are moving to a completely new site or a stand-by-stand redevelopment of Stamford Bridge. No final decision has been made.
Chelsea plan to have a 'world-class' stadium by the end of 2030 but these plans might be overly ambitious, the report states.
