Former Chelsea chief executive Trevor Birch says the club could face a bleak future if the row over Roman Abramovich’s visa continues.
Abramovich pulled the plug on Chelsea’s £1 billion project to redevelop Stamford Bridge this week in retaliation for the Home Office delaying the renewal of his UK visa.
Birch, the executive responsible for selling Chelsea to Abramovich in 2003, says the row could completely derail the club.
“If the visa issue isn’t resolved, anything could happen,” Birch told the BBC.
“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.