Arsenal profits boost

Arsenal have reported a pretax profit of £49.5m in the six months to end of November compared with a loss of £6.1m a year earlier.   Football turnover was up from £97.6m to £113.5m.  Cash reserves increased from £110.4m to £115.2m.

Arsenal have reported a pretax profit of £49.5m in the six months to end of November compared with a loss of £6.1m a year earlier.   Football turnover was up from £97.6m to £113.5m.  Cash reserves increased from £110.4m to £115.2m.


The sales of captain Cesc Fabrega to Barcelona and midfielder Samir Nasri to Manchester City boosted the bottom line by £63m.  Defending the club against charges that it is over cautious in its spending, chairman Peter Hill-Wood stressed that the club had invested £74.7m on new players and contract extensions, costs that will be spread over several seasons.