Chelsea has initiated preliminary discussions with the Elmbridge Borough Council regarding a major overhaul of the club's training facility in Cobham. This has been reported by the BBC.
The training complex was opened in 2004, at the start of Roman Abramovich's ownership. It was considered one of the most advanced facilities in English football at the time, but its infrastructure has fallen behind competitors over the years.
Since the acquisition of Chelsea by the BlueCo consortium in 2022, the club's owners have highlighted the modernisation of infrastructure as a key priority. This includes improving training conditions for both the men's and women's teams, as well as the academy.
In 2024, Chelsea purchased a plot of land opposite the training ground, which has expanded the club's options for future redevelopment.
Negotiations with local authorities are still in the preliminary stages, but Chelsea's intention to carry out a significant upgrade to Cobham remains serious.
Moreover, upgrading the training centre could prove to be a much simpler task than resolving the ongoing stadium situation. Over the past four years, BlueCo has not made significant progress on a long-term development plan for Stamford Bridge. Currently, the phased redevelopment option, which would involve rebuilding the stands separately, has been ruled out.
