Chelsea stadium could become most expensive in Europe and cost £1BILLION

CHELSEA could spend £1BILLION on their new 60,000-seater stadium.

Blues were originally quoted a price of around £500million when they received planning permission in January.

According to The Times, the final bill could come to double that of original estimates because building their new home could take five or six years.

And economic factors over that period - such as Brexit and the exchange rate - could hit Blues in pocket.

Tottenham's new stadium is believed to have almost doubled in cost to around £800m.

But Blues could eclipse that spending - with the report suggesting it will not only become the most expensive in Europe but possibly on the planet. New York Giants' MetLife Stadium and Atlanta Falcons' Mercedes-Benz Stadium are thought to have cost £1.2bn - and Blues' design could come close.

Board members Bruce Buck and Marina Granovskaia have announced the first game at the new stadium is due for the opening fixture of the 2024-25 season.

Initial plans were to see the Blues face a four-year spell at another ground while their home stadium is under construction. Chelsea will still be moving out of Stamford Bridge - most likely to Wembley - but the date of that move is yet to be confirmed.

Club chiefs are looking at eight potential venues the Blues can move into while Stamford Bridge is under construction.

Blues' new hi-tech stadium, which hold almost 20,000 more people than Stamford Bridge, has been described as an 'ashtray', 'egg slicer' and 'slinky'.

From The Sun