Arsenal announce rise in season-ticket prices for fifth consecutive season | Arsenal

Arsenal have announced that season-ticket prices will rise for a fifth consecutive season, with the cost of a ticket for the most dedicated fans rising by an average of 3.9%.

The Premier League leaders, who face Wolves at Molineux on Wednesday, say they have made the decision as part of a continued push towards “financial stability” and confirmed that safe standing would be introduced to the Clock End next season, after consultation with supporters.

A 23-game season ticket for the Arsenal men’s team in the upper tier of the Emirates Stadium will cost a minimum of £1,291 next season and a maximum of £2,196 in seats closest to the centre circle. Arsenal have preserved all concessionary ticketing categories and will continue to distribute 1,000 free tickets to the local community.

The club said: “While were are making progress towards winning major trophies, we are still working towards financial sustainability. Our investment in our playing squads and infrastructure is dependent on the revenue we drive in the face of rising costs.”

The Arsenal Supporters’ Trust said it was “disappointed” with the price rises. “We firmly believe that with the football sector benefiting from ever-increasing broadcast and commercial revenues it is time to stop squeezing match-going supporters so hard.” The trust observed that Arsenal reported a 10% increase in revenue last season.

The club are close to announcing Bukayo Saka’s contract extension, worth about £300,000 a week. The 24-year-old agreed a new deal until 2031 in January.

Safe standing will be introduced first in the Clock End, then in the North Bank lower from 2027-28. In total 13,500 home and away supporters will eventually be able to stand while watching.

Mikel Arteta has said he is looking at Arsenal’s warm-up routines “big time” as he seeks an explanation for why his players keep pulling up before matches. Riccardo Calafiori dropped out of the lineup for the FA Cup tie against Wigan last Sunday after sustaining an injury in the warm-up, the second time it has happened to the player, and the fourth time in the season overall. Arteta said he was confident the Italian would be available against Wolves but said the club were “looking into” their pre-match habits.

“We are big time looking at it,” Arteta said. “The incidents were very different: the first time was Willy [Saliba] rolling his ankle against Liverpool, then we had two incidents with Ricky [Calafiori] in the warm-up in a very similar way, then one with Bukayo after he was rested in midweek – didn’t play against Kairat Almaty – then against Leeds he has an incident.

“It’s very unusual. I think it’s only happened once or twice in the six [previous] years I’ve been here. But it’s happened four times this year. We are looking into it, but it is what it is. We have to learn.”

Arteta added that he had learned to dread the opening of his office door as the clock ticks down to kick-off but said the spate of pre-match injuries had also led him to question the value of the process.

“The warm-up is so that the players are activated to be absolutely at their best physically and mentally, to be connected with their teammates. It’s to tell the body the game is coming, the adrenaline is going to start to pick up, the testosterone has to be in the right spot and you’re ready to compete. To change that sometimes is tricky.

“It’s a really good area to look at, though. What would happen if we didn’t do the warm-up? Because then at half-time we sit for almost for 15 minutes and then we go full guns again in the second half. So maybe it’s something to think about.”