Chelsea are currently behind schedule to start work on a redevelopment of Stamford Bridge.
The club were handed council approval in January 2017 to build a new 60,000-seater stadium on the site of the club’s current home ground, but work is yet to commence.
The progress of the new stadium has been put on hold since the visa issue of club owner Roman Abramovich with the UK government.
Chelsea now have less than two months left on their planning approval from the council, which was endorsed by the London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and if not activated, the club might have to start the entire process afresh as the expiration date of March 31 cannot be extended.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea do not have to physically begin work on the site before March 31, and can issue a “pre-commencement application”, notifying when and where work will begin to trigger against the deadline.
Chelsea have the smallest stadium capacity among the big six, with Tottenham Hotspur the latest club to join in having huge stadium capacity.
Stamford Bridge capacity is just over 41, 000 and the Blues will need to increase its stadium capacity and risk being left behind by the rest of the top six clubs in the Premier League.