Khan’s Wembley: Chelsea Paying Rent?
Written by Cameron Ramsey on 28th April 2018
As per a report published by the Mirror, Fulham’s billionaire owner Shahid Khan insists that Chelsea are ‘welcome’ to rent Wembley as and when they begin their search for a temporary home whilst Stamford Bridge receives a supposed face lift, and is also adamant that the state-of-the-art arena will indeed remain a ‘cradle of English football’.
News broke on April 26th that Khan, who also owns NFL franchise Jacksonville Jaguars, is prepared to lodge a sensational mega-money bid for Wembley, the home of the Three Lions, a deal which could allegedly be worth a staggering £950m.
Wembley hosts a monstrous 90,000 seats under its spectacular arch and acted as Tottenham Hotspur’s stand in stadium whilst White Hart Lane’s redevelopment progressed and the Blues, who could be without a permanent home for up to four years from 2021, are also hoping to utilise the venue as it will be able to, without a doubt, accommodate their extensive requirements on domestic and European matchdays.
Concerns have subsequently surfaced amongst Chelsea’s fanbase following the groundbreaking revelation of Khan’s proposed purchase but have no fear, fellow dwellers of the borough of Fulham, your neighbour’s benevolent governor has extended a strong hand of goodwill and generosity in your direction.
“Quite the contrary,” claimed Khan. “Chelsea are talking about maybe building a stadium and we will welcome them because we will be looking for more creative ways to multi use.
“We will absolutely be looking into things like that. We want to support English football and we want to support Wembley.
“Wembley will remain as the cradle of English football, only supplemented by the NFL and other events.”
Without earmarking Fulham as a direct occupant, Khan’s primary intention for Wembley has been shrouded in obscurity. The Jaguars have played on English soil previously at the stadium in question and the notion of a London-based NFL outfit being formed is still very much a plausible possibility.
The Cottagers are currently locked and focused in their chase for second and the likelihood of a return to the Premier League is becoming greater and greater as the Championship campaign whittles down to the final day of the season.
If Slavisa Jokanovic’s contingent are to grace the top-flight next term by nabbing second from under Cardiff City’s nose – or even, alternatively, through a play-off final victory at Wembley – it’s hard to comprehend the probability of Fulham calling England’s national home their own in the future, especially when considering that Craven Cottage’s Riverside terrace is due a substantial renovation within the next few seasons.
The Cottage is Fulham’s spiritual habitat and a safe haven for us faithful few to mirthfully bask within. It’s rich, vibrant history oozes tradition and grace and to be completely frank, transparent and, well, factual, London’s oldest club simply wouldn’t be the same if it was to jump ship to Wembley. The river, with all its majesty, is ultimately where we belong.
