Swansea City's next Championship away fixture against Coventry City has been thrown into doubt after the Sky Blues released a statement confirming that they have received an eviction notice from their ground.
Former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley's Frasers Group bought the CBS Arena, where Coventry play, a fortnight ago after the holding company filed for administration.
And on Monday it was reported by the BBC that Frasers say the Sky Blues have no continuing right to use the ground unless a new licence is agreed. The club's existing licence runs until 2031, but they say the proposed new one would expire in May 2023.
Ashley's group believe they are not bound by the old licence because it was agreed with the stadium's former owners, Wasps rugby club, who went into administration in October.
It now shrouds Coventry's next home fixture into doubt, though, with Russell Martin's Swansea the next team to face the west Midlands club, with the Championship club issuing a statement to confirm earlier reports of an eviction notice being served were true.
A Coventry statement read: "Coventry City can confirm media reports that it received an eviction notice from Frasers Group, new owners of the Coventry Building Society Arena, on Friday afternoon.
"Following the Frasers Group acquisition of the stadium from administrators, Coventry City have been told that we must agree a new licence to play at the Arena.
"We were surprised to learn of this intention by Frasers Group, given that discussions with Coventry City prior to the completion of their purchase of the Arena led us to understand the existing terms would continue unchanged with Frasers Group as the new owners of the Arena.
"Coventry City Football Club has an existing long-term licence to play at the Arena, which was agreed in March 2021 to run until 2031.
"Frasers Group have now presented to Coventry City a new agreement with new commercial terms, which have been presented to us without any dialogue or negotiations, and are less favourable to the Football Club. In addition, this licence would only run until May 2023.
"Frasers Group have said they would negotiate for beyond May 2023, but this leaves us without the security and certainty that our current deal provides to us and our fans.
"To confirm, Coventry City are happy to continue under terms of the current licence which we already have in place to play at the Arena.
"Following Frasers Group’s purchase of the Arena, one of the great assets of the City of Coventry, they stated they were ‘looking forward to working with Coventry City Football Club’.
"Coventry City hope that they will act on those words for the good of the Arena, the Football Club, our fans and the City and community that they are now part of.
"Coventry City had envisaged being able to deal with this situation internally, but following media reports this morning, we will continue to keep supporters updated regarding the situation going forward and hope that we will continue to be able to welcome our fans to our home at the Coventry Building Society Arena."
Whether they are able to host another match there will, of course, be of huge significance to Swansea and Swans supporters.
The Swans welcome Norwich City to the Swansea.com Stadium this weekend before they travel to the Midlands on December 17, when they hope this situation will have been thoroughly ironed out.
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