Liverpool FC to extend Anfield to 60,000

LIVERPOOL Football Club has confirmed its “preference” is to remain at Anfield where its expansion will require the demolition of several streets.

The club’s owner Fenway Sports Group is understood to be willing to invest £150m to expand Anfield from 45,000 seats to 60,000.

This will be made possible by a new partnership agreement with the club, the city council and the Your Housing housing association announced today. The council and Your Housing are already committed to a £25m housing revamp around the ground.

Liverpool FC’s managing director Ian Ayre said: “Any final decision about extending Anfield will be dependent on two main factors – firstly that the community and home owners are supportive of the proposed stadium expansion and secondly our ability to navigate the complex planning landscape.

“Anfield is a great place to play football and the Club has some of the best fans in the world. We celebrated our 120th anniversary earlier this year and hopefully this new Partnership with the Council and Your Housing will help us continue to play at our spiritual home for the next 120 years.”

Liverpool’s mayor Joe Anderson said: “We have had numerous constructive discussions with the Club and have listened to their vision for the future and explored how that could tie in with and complement our own plans for the future of Anfield.

“I’m delighted that we’ve now reached this milestone. It means we can now work together with confidence to deliver a new era for Anfield. A future of high quality housing, first-class retail and leisure facilities, and at the heart of it all, a world-class football stadium, playing host to one of the world’s most famous clubs.”