Sadiq Khan warns Arsenal face 'clear obstacles' with £500m Emirates Stadium plans

Sir Sadiq Khan spoke about Arsenal's plans for the Emirates Stadium while announcing his Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is partnering with 17 London clubs to tackle violence and exploitation

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has warned Arsenal they will face many "obstacles" on their path to extending the Emirates Stadium.

At the start of the month, it was claimed the club are exploring plans to extend the home of the Gunners to a capacity of over 70,000 people. Currently, 60,700 people pack into the stadium, which was officially opened in July 2006.

With the fans and the club working together to improve the atmosphere in north London, the news would have been welcomed by supporters. It also stated the club may look to spend time at Wembley Stadium while the extension is constructed, in a similar arrangement to Tottenham Hotspur when their new ground was constructed.

Khan - who was at Wembley Stadium to announce his Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) is partnering with the community foundations of all 17 of London’s professional football clubs in a major boost to tackling violence and exploitation - was also enthusiastic about the idea.

However, the Mayor also had a warning for the current Premier League leaders. Speaking exclusively to football.london, he said: "At the moment, bearing in mind Arsenal’s league position, they are walking on water. I can understand why a Premier League club would want to increase their capacity.

"We know the additional revenues it brings into the club, but also it means that ordinary fans can get to see the team they love. I think West Ham's got the biggest capacity in the London Stadium.

"We know the additional revenues it brings into the club, but also it means that ordinary fans can get to see the team they love. I think West Ham's got the biggest capacity in London Stadium.

"Spurs aren't far behind. Arsenal have got a huge fan base. There's clearly obstacles in relation to the local council and local residents and stuff.

"But I think anybody who understands the power of football will understand why all clubs, whether you're Arsenal, whether you're Liverpool, whether you're Everton, whether you're United, are thinking about increasing capacity.”

Arsenal's stadium extending aspirations were reported by The Telegraph. If the Gunners were able to amass a 70,000 seater-plus stadium, it would be the largest ground in the capital, barring Wembley Stadium.

It would also become the second largest Premier League stadium, only lagging behind Old Trafford, which could soon be demolished and replaced by another huge stadium. Moreover, the waiting list for an Arsenal season ticket is believed to be at around 100,000.

Many fans have been stuck on the list for years. In an era where Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations are breathing down teams' necks, a stadium increase would pump millions into the club.

However, it's also understood an extension could cost as much as £500m. They are yet to reach the planning permission stage, which could reportedly take around five years.