London rivals Chelsea and Tottenham could share the English F.A’s Wembley stadium while their respective stadiums are being re-developed, according to Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy.

Tottenham are looking to redevelop White Hart Lane and have already begun to work on a new stadium worth up to £400 million (AU $851 million). They will need to find a different stadium temporarily during the 2017-18 season for that to happen, and options for the club include taking over Wembley.

They had earlier lost out to West Ham in their bid to move in to the Olympic Stadium. They have also considered taking over MK Dons’ stadium:mk, but the club’s supporters have strongly lobbied that the team remain within the capital rather than move outside.

Chelsea are also meanwhile looking to expand their stadium at Stamford Bridge. They plan to demolish two hotels outside the stadium and add new stands, expanding the capacity from the current 42,000 to around 61,000 to generate extra match-day revenue. They have considered moving into Twickenham, the home of English rugby.

According to ESPN, who quote the minutes of Levy’s speech at a meeting with a fans’ forum, the F.A has previously expressed unwillingness to let any Premier League team make use of the national stadium. But that stance may change if both London clubs agreed to share the stadium for a season.

The ESPN report goes on to add that both Chelsea and Tottenham would pay up to £15 million (AU $31.8 million) per season. Chelsea are seeking a four-year deal while Stamford Bridge is developed, while Tottenham seek just the one season’s occupancy, meaning Chelsea would be paying up to £60 million (AU $127.2 million) to shift to the temporary base.

“A four-year deal was thought to be far more attractive to Wembley than a one-year deal, although DL (Daniel Levy) stressed the per season income to Wembley was unlikely to be materially different from either club. DL also felt that the FA acknowledged the need to treat clubs equally. The FA has now said it will go away and consider the practicalities of a groundshare. Until that is decided, no further discussions can take place," ESPN reported Daniel Levy’s minutes.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.

RELATED STORIES