Chelsea On Course To Be World Number 1 - 30/04/2006

Chelsea are on course with their plan to be number one club in the world, according to chief executive Peter Kenyon. The latest step by the Premiership champions, the first by a football club, has seen the launch of a branded portal that will give advice about savings and investments. The club has struck a deal with Origen, a UK-based independent financial adviser that is part of Aegon, the global financial services group. Kenyon wants Chelsea to overtake Manchester United and become the premier brand in international football by 2014. The club has received £450m of investment from Roman Abramovich, but Chelsea claim to be on course to break even by 2010. They are investing heavily in the development of the Asian market. Chelsea has 4 million supporters worldwide, although this is far less than the 50m claimed to be United followers. The number of Chelsea fans has increased by 300 per cent since Mr Abramovich took over, a period in which the club's rivals took 'their eye off the ball' according to Mr Kenyon. Not missing a chance to slag off their North Londin rivals, he commented, 'If you look at Arsenal moving to a new stadium, it's a fantastic project but it eats up time and while that was happening some of the on-pitch issues were not being addressed so quickly.'