Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta sack claim made as ‘£760m Emirates expansion plan’ emerges

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have a chance to ramp up the pressure at the top of the Premier League table this weekend when they welcome struggling West Ham to North London

Arsenal are very much in the thick of things at the top of the Premier League after their dramatic late victory at Newcastle last time out. Mikel Arteta’s side are back in domestic action at home to West Ham on Saturday, having taken on Olympiacos in Europe in midweek, and could even end the weekend top of the league if results go their way.

After a succession of runner-up finishes, manager Arteta faces some pressure to add to the sole FA Cup he has in nearly five years at the helm. The club have been doing a good job of preparing for the future, though, with William Saliba the latest senior star to agree a new contract.

Arteta and transfer chief Andrea Berta have also worked well to strengthen the squad, with Martin Zubimendi in particular excelling since arriving over the summer. Noni Madueke has also impressed in flashes, though he suffered an untimely injury in the recent draw against Manchester City.

The Gunners’ next league opponents have won on their last two visits to the Emirates Stadium under two different managers. David Moyes oversaw a 2-0 win in December 2023, while Graham Potter was in the dugout last season as West Ham beat a 10-man Arsenal side by a single goal.

Potter has since made way himself, with former Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo now in the Hammers hotseat, but it’s his opposite number who is in focus here. These are Mirror Football‘s latest lines from around North London.

READ MORE: Premier League referee gives true feelings on VAR after Man Utd and Arsenal controversiesREAD MORE: Full transcript of Arsenal VAR conversation as Premier League release audio on controversy

Stadium expansion plan

When Arsenal moved to their new home back in 2006, much was made of the Emirates Stadium’s status as a new state-of-the-art venue. That remains the case, even after rival clubs have completed stadium moves of their own, but an update on what the next phase of expansion might look like has now emerged.

The Mail reports that Otto Maly will be leading the plans. Maly was a key figure in the building of SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, home of the Los Angeles Rams, so has experience of a big project in a major city, with that project reported to have cost around £4billion.

With construction yet to begin on the project, all timeframes and costs are still speculative. Nothing is expected to get underway before the 2026/27 season comes to a close, while early reports suggest the new project could end up costing around double the £380m it cost to construct Arsenal’s stadium nearly 20 years ago while only including a “modest” increase in seat numbers- potentially less than 10,000 on top of the current capacity.

Arteta sack prediction

Arsenal legend Robert Pires is worried another trophy-less season could prompt the Gunners board to sack Mikel Arteta. Since winning the FA Cup final in 2020, Arteta has failed to secure silverware despite the club spending big on its squad, though they did take the title race down to the final day in 2024.

“In my opinion, if Arsenal don’t win a trophy this year, the management will consider finding another coach,” Pires told Foot Mercato. “He’s been there for five years and unfortunately, the title has eluded him. What’s important for the fans is the championship.

“Money was spent in the summer transfer window. He made certain demands, which were met by the Arsenal board. If Arsenal don’t win the championship, I think there will definitely be a change on the bench.

“It’s not going to be easy because you have Liverpool, you have Man City who are there, Chelsea won’t be far behind. But I think Arsenal holds the cards and have the players to win the title.”

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.