Pochettino doubts Spurs will play in new stadium this season

Mauricio Pochettino believes it will be "tough" for Tottenham to make the long-awaited move into their new stadium this season.

Spurs are continuing to play their home fixtures at Wembley as a series of construction delays have prevented them from moving into the new White Hart Lane, which Pochettino's side had hoped to be playing in earlier in the 2018-19 campaign.

The club confirmed this week that next month's north London derby with Arsenal will be staged at Wembley while Tottenham wait on a security certificate for the 62,000-seater ground.

Spurs still need to carry out testing to the fire detection and alarm system and time is running out for them to get clearance to move before the campaign ends in May.

And Pochettino has cast doubt over that relocation happening in 2018-19.

"I don't want to think too much, my wish is to play at the new stadium before the end of the season," he told a news conference.

"My gut says it will be tough but my wish is so big and my hope and always my dream is to finish playing this season at the new stadium."

Preparations on point. #COYS pic.twitter.com/kE8q6WqboL

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 8, 2019

The uncertainty over when that move will happen does not appear to have impacted Spurs on the pitch.

Three successive victories have moved Tottenham to within five points of Premier League leaders Manchester City and Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

However, Pochettino insists playing at the new White Hart Lane would further boost his men.

"Did you see the last few games [at Wembley]? [Just] 30k there, I expect to move and I want to play in front of 60k, not 30," he added.

"I want the 60k to help me achieve the three points and I think for the fans it will be a massive boost and impact and that will translate to the team.

"The people are disappointed, we all love Wembley, it's only because we expect to already play at our new stadium.

"It will be massive to play the last five [games] there. I hope that happens and you know very well always I believe that it can be positive to move to the new stadium."