West Ham confirm Chelsea approach over Olympic Stadium groundshare

Following reports from earlier this week, West Ham United vice-chairman Karen Brady has confirmed that Chelsea did approach her club over a potential groundshare at Stratford.  The Hammers will be moving to the Olympic Stadium this summer, but Chelsea could be following suit (temporarily of course) in a couple years.

"Chelsea asked to come and have a look at our new home and I showed their people around. They commented it was one of the best football stadia in the world and that's because it is."

"I have very good relations with Chelsea and, yes, they have enquired about a ground share in 2018. Any final decision on letting the Blues move in will be ours and not the London Legacy Development Corporation's, or indeed Chelsea."

-Karen Brady; source: The Sun via Evening Standard

As with the previous rumors, the assumptions around the timeline of the Chelsea stadium construction project appear to be changing.  Whereas once we were looking to move after next season, it's increasingly looking likely that we will not move out of the old Stamford Bridge until two seasons from now, in the summer of 2018.

While by that time Spurs would be out of Wembley (and thus there would no concerns about any sort of groundshare), we are still actively pursuing the Olympic Stadium option, perhaps due to the potential vast savings in cost (up to 20m/year vs. at most 2.5m/year) and perhaps due to convenience thanks to the excellent transport links around the former London 2012 venue.  Wembley is technically closer to SW6, but perhaps not quite as easily accessible and it would have to operate at a reduced capacity with the upper tier left empty intentionally leading to concerns over matchday atmosphere.

In lieu of a somewhat proper conclusion, let's have a poll.  Twickenham is not an option.