The Emirates Stadium

BACKSTAGE conversations are taking place at Arsenal over the possibility of increasing the capacity of the Emirates Stadium, it was claimed this week.

Both the Gunners and Islington Council were this week downplaying that any work was coming down the line soon, but the Daily Telegraph reported that it is a topic of internal discussion for over a year.

It was suggested that Arsenal want to make it possible for more people to see their home matches with a jump to a 70,000 maximum crowd ­– and with it increased matchday revenue.

The club is currently sitting at the top of the Premier League and are regarded as serious contenders for silverware after a summer of transfer spending on new on-field recruits, such as Eberachi Eze and Viktor Gyokeres.

But despite their stadium being less than 20 years old – the team moved from its classic Highbury ground to play the first match there in 2006 – it is already felt that an improved stadium design could be possible. Rivals Spurs have a higher capacity at the recently built Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which opened in 2019.

West Ham United secured a bigger stadium when they claimed the London Stadium after the Olympic Games in 2012.

Chelsea have also regularly considered an upgrade to their Stamford Bridge ground in west London.

In recent years, Arsenal have been asked by some supporters to consider a “safe standing area” to bring back the atmosphere of the old terraces.

Any more work at Arsenal’s home at Ashburton Grove, famed for its ‘carpet’ like pitch, would require council planners’ approval – there were protracted discussions when permission was first granted to build it – and would need matches to be played temporality at Wembley.

This would mean mixed fortunes for businesses that rely on game days around Holloway Road they will miss out on takings while the Gunners move out, for a while but potentially gain more if larger crowdss are accommodated in the future. The stadium is also used for pop concerts and has hosted Bruce Springsteen and Coldplay in the past during the summer off-season.

An Islington Council spokesperson said: “At this time we are not engaged in any formal discussions with Arsenal regarding potential redevelopment plans for the Emirates Stadium.”