In our Sunday post detailing why Chelsea can afford Timo Werner while Arsenal cannot, we briefly touched upon the subject of the Gunners 'coming off from the stadium debt'.
Arsenal fan Romano Vinkler disputed the claim, saying: "What stadium debt dear admin, we came out of that few years ago already. Even Wenger confirmed that while he was still in charge."
It is certainly true the Gunners have paid the large part of the stadium debt by 2013 but there is a catch.
As per the Arsenal Supporters Trust, Arsenal have a stadium-related debt worth £144m, due between 2028 and 2031.
- In 2006, Arsenal loaned £260m in bonds to finance the move to the Emirates. The club has to pay annual instalments each year until 2031 and the next one is due September 1.
- The Gunners have already paid back a chunk of it but a long-term £144m debt remains. As per the AST, debt service costs do not exceed £20m a year including both repayment and interest.
- Other debts, mainly transfer fees spread out for several years, as in the case of Nicolas Pepe, are worth £120m; £40m will have to be paid this summer.
Wenger was the key person in building the Emirates but we are unlikely to see him there ever again:
Earlier, Vinai Venkatesham confirmed that Kroenke had injected money into the club. The director also stated that fans should not expect any big transfers because of the coronavirus crisis.
If you have any questions about Arsenal, the club's past, present and maybe even future, feel free to ask in the comments — we'll make sure your request is met!
