Arsenal in talks with architects over Emirates Stadium expansion

Arsenal are in talks with an architecture company over expanding the Emirates Stadium, according to a report.

Sam Cunningham reports for City A.M. that Arsenal are in talks with architects Populous over expanding the Emirates Stadium, having previously worked with the same company to design the Emirates in the first place.

Sources claim all options remain on the table at this stage, from major works to minor hospitality upgrades to increase revenue. With how well things are going on the pitch, club executives are reportedly feeling no pressure to make a final decision.

As well as the Emirates, Populous have previously worked on Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur’s new stadium.

Reports from earlier this season had confirmed that Arsenal were planning an expansion of the Emirates, with work going into a potential plan to increase capacity to beyond 70,000.

At the time, it was stressed that Arsenal hadn’t yet sought planning permissions, and they’re well aware of both the legal and planning hurdles to overcome.

It was reportedly in light of those hurdles that the club had decided to consider plans for more minor alterations as well. Seven months later, it doesn’t seem as though the picture has significantly changed.

Isaan Khan has also previously reported for the Daily Mail that new Arsenal board member Otto Maly has a clear remit to expand the Emirates Stadium.

Maly played a key role in building the SoFi stadium in Los Angeles, a 100,000-capacity ground home to the LA Rams. Though Khan added that a modest increase of a few thousand seats is more probable in this case than anything more significant.

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