The Premier League want Tottenham to play at least five League games at their new stadium this season or stay at Wembley for the rest of the campaign.

Spurs announced another delay to the £1billion project yesterday as it was confirmed the north London derby against Arsenal on March 2 will now take place at the national stadium.

Despite warnings from Metropolitan Police chiefs, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was hopeful of moving the club into their new home at the beginning of next month but various systems are yet to receive an official safety certificate, which is required before two stadium test events can be organised.

Standard Sport understands conversations between the Premier League and senior figures at the club have taken place over identifying a specific target to work towards rather than updating on a game-by-game basis. Spurs insist that there has been no stipulation of five matches by the Premier League.

The League remain sympathetic to Spurs’s position and are yet to issue a formal ultimatum, partly because they want to create an environment in which other clubs can build new stadia without fear of undue pressure.

However, the setbacks have dragged on for months and the League have indicated a preference for a significant portion of the season to be played at the new stadium rather than just one or two matches near the end of the campaign.

There has been opposition from some clubs to Tottenham being allowed to play at two different home venues in the same season, although only Cardiff boss Neil Warnock has gone public with his disappointment.

The club are doing everything to ensure the stadium is ready for the final five games.

The League recognise that Tottenham are dictated to some extent by circumstances beyond their control. After the Arsenal game, they are due to host Crystal Palace on March 17, although that match will be postponed if Roy Hodgson’s side beat Doncaster in the FA Cup fifth round next weekend.

Brighton are the next visitors on April 6, but they are also still in the FA Cup and the semi-finals are due to be played at Wembley that weekend.

As the fixture list stands, Palace would be the fifth remaining home game and therefore the deadline to move as determined by the Premier League’s latest guidance.

But if that game is rescheduled to later in the season, Brighton becomes the fifth of their five remaining League home games and Spurs would therefore have another three weeks in which to move to their new stadium.