London train station renamed after Premier League side

The London Overground train station that is nearest to the new soccer-stadium home of Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur FC is likely to be renamed in honor of the club, following a lengthy lobbying campaign by the side, and a multi-million-pound payment, according to multiple news reports.

London’s largest-circulation daily newspaper, The Evening Standard, says the station near the under-construction stadium will be rebranded as Tottenham Hotspur. The transport hub, which is currently called White Hart Lane, has served the local community in the London borough of Haringey since 1872.

Tottenham is set to move into its new 1-billion-pound ($1.33 billion) stadium in the coming weeks, with fellow London side Crystal Palace scheduled to be the first visitors to what will be initially called Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on April 3. The club is likely to change the stadium’s name in the longer term, if it can find a corporate sponsor.

Transport for London, which is also known as TfL, the organization that runs buses and trains in the United Kingdom’s capital, has admitted to being “in discussions” with Tottenham about the rebranding of White Hart Lane station but has not yet confirmed reports of its imminent renaming.

Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London and the person who oversees TfL,has indicated that the deal, if it does go ahead as expected, would be a one-off.

His office issued a statement saying: “The mayor does not support setting a precedent of selling off station names. However, a unique brand partnership between TfL and Tottenham Hotspur would benefit both TfL and Tottenham, supporting significant investment to create a new sport, leisure, and entertainment destination as part of the wider regeneration of the area.”

The Guardian newspaper said on Monday that a memo of understanding between the soccer club and TfL was being drafted and that the deal was essentially done. It said TfL had asked the club for 14.7 million pounds for the renaming of the station to go ahead.

The club has reportedly been lobbying since 2016 for the station to be renamed, which would put it in a similar position to north London rivals, Arsenal. That club’s local train station, which is on London Underground’s Piccadilly line, was renamed Arsenal in 1932 after having been known as Gillespie Road since 1906.

Tottenham is one of Britain’s wealthiest soccer clubs and has been overseeing the construction of a new 62,000-seat arena ever since tearing down its old stadium in 2017.

The new stadium was due to open in September but, after delays and escalating costs, will now host its first game next month. While waiting for construction of its new stadium to finish, Tottenham has been playing home matches in Wembley Stadium, which is also home to England’s national soccer team.