Future looking bleak for Chelsea in visa row

CHELSEA are facing life without a new stadium, top manager or star player if the row over Roman Abramovich’s visa rumbles on, the club’s former chief executive claimed yesterday. Russian oligarch Abramovich put a stop to Chelsea’s £1billion project to redevelop Stamford Bridge this week in retaliation for the treatment he has received at the hands of the Home Office after his UK visa expired. Abramovich (right) is now reported to have withdrawn his visa application. And Trevor Birch, the executive responsible for selling Chelsea to Abramovich in 2003, says the Russia diplomatic row risks throwing all of the club’s plans into turmoil. On the field, leading player Eden Hazard has suggested he is not willing to sign a new contract before seeing who Chelsea sign in the summer. Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has made similar noises. There is also uncertainty over the managerial situation, with Abramovich searching for a new boss after going cold on Napoli’s Maurizio Sarri. Birch, who has also been chief executive at Everton and Leeds United, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘If the visa issue isn’t resolved, anything could happen. There have been rising costs in the stadium and it’s a difficult project to deliver — but this is clearly Roman upping the ante in his spat with the Home Office. ‘There’s obviously a great deal of concern around at the moment. ‘The Chelsea fans face the prospect of no stadium, no manager and no star player if Eden Hazard moves to Real Madrid.’ Club sources are adamant that Abramovich is not looking to relinquish control of the club he has helped to five Premier League titles as well as glory in the Champions League. But Birch says that, were the Russian looking to sell, he would not be short of suitors — provided investment in the squad increased on last year. ‘It’s eminently sellable as a club, based in west London,’ he said. ‘With TV rights increasing, if Manchester United are valued at over £3billion, I think Chelsea are valued at £1.5bn — and very attractive. ‘Of course, to maintain the value of his (Abramovich’s) investment, he needs to invest in players — and he didn’t last season.’