Arsenal chairman hints at Emirates Stadium expansion
Arsenal co-chairman Josh Kroenke has admitted the club have held ‚internal conversations‘ regarding the renovation and expansion of the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners left their spiritual Highbury home in 2006, upping sticks and moving a matter of metres away to a new ground sandwiched between railway lines and London’s busy Holloway Road.
With a capacity of 60,704, the Emirates is the fifth-biggest stadium in the Premier League behind only Old Trafford, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London Stadium and Anfield. However, the capacity has not been increased on a major scale since inauguration.
Supporters initially criticised the Emirates for its lack of soul, but the club have made renewed attempts to make the stadium feel more like home, recently adding new artwork to the exterior and continuing fan efforts to improve the atmosphere. Current manager Mikel Arteta has also been credited with helping restore the bond between the team and the supporters.
In an extensive interview with ESPN, Kroenke was asked whether Arsenal had any other plans to renovate and expand the Emirates.
„It would be premature to talk about any plans in depth, but the internal conversations are starting to occur about [the stadium]. It is not an easy renovation, but we see the possibilities of what’s there,“ he said.
„Our goal was always to compete for the Premier League title because if you look around the world, if you are competing for the title year-in, year-out, you are competing for everything else.
„What can our fans expect? Everything they’ve gotten in the last few years. We’re going to keep adding to the group. I know Mikel’s energy is through the roof in the best of ways. In our women’s team as well, you see how women’s sport is taking off around the world. We are really excited about that part of the business.
„But as a club our main goal is to continue to make our supporters proud.“