Spurs talk to MK Dons about temporary groundshare

It looks like Tottenham Hotspur plan to play the 2017-18 season in Milton Keynes. According to the Mail, Spurs have already had formal talks with MK Dons about using Stadium mk as their home stadium for the year and that talks are going well. Spurs may also play three matches at Wembley.

Spurs will need to find a temporary home for one season as work is completed on their new 56,000 seat stadium, which will use some of the land of White Hart Lane. The club acknowledged that they would have to play a season away from home and there has been speculation as to which venue they would go to, but no actual movement until now.

Tottenham prefer to play close to North London, if possible, the report states. The problem is that a groundshare with Arsenal has been ruled out for obvious reasons and West Ham have no interest in allowing Tottenham to use the Olympic Stadium. Upton Park will be demolished by then and the smaller, older stadiums in London do not interest Spurs.

That leaves Tottenham will a trip 50 miles north to Milton Keynes. It is hardly ideal, but with options in the city slim, Stadium mk may be the best the club can do. It is 6,000 seats smaller than the Lane, but the distance from North London should cut down attendance anyway and the 30,500 capacity could be just fine.

Spurs would like to play a few matches at Wembley too, but the venue is only allowed to host 37 events per season and are already up against that number, raising speculation that England may have to play some matches away from their home stadium. That event limit makes it impossible for Spurs to play the entire season at Wembley, but they could play as many as three matches there.

The 2017-18 season is hardly going to be ideal. We knew that and Spurs know it, but the club cannot grow without a new stadium and if this is what it takes to get the new ground built then it has to be done.