Arsenal profits up as stadium beckons

ARSENAL’S parent company has produced healthy interim financial results over the six months to the end of November 2005.

Group turnover for Arsenal Holdings plc increased to £57 million (€83.44m), up from the 2004 figure of £49.3m, while profit before tax was up to £14.7m from £2.7m.

The departure of captain Patrick Vieira to Juventus, during the summer, saw a leap in profits from player transfers to £13.5m, up from just £800,000, for the same period in 2004.