目前海布里仅有个别私人公寓尚未售出(公寓建造总数为655套),这意味着当这些仅剩的资产被套现后,资金将直接回笼至俱乐部,并供温格购买关键球员。
海布里广场的银行负债已经从2009年5月的1.236亿英镑直接锐减到如今2百万英镑,并将在几周内被偿还干净。广场上每套公寓的平均成本小于40万英镑,这意味着那些剩余公寓可以为俱乐部产生大约2000万英镑的收益。
这笔收益在销售完毕后会全额转入温格手中,以作为他夏季转会资金的额外补贴。在次贷危机前,曾预计净收益可达1亿英镑之多!虽然经历了次贷危机,但目前来看情形还算不错。
成功偿还海布里的贷款意味着目前俱乐部的总负债将降低至1.75亿英镑以下,并且这些负债几乎仅仅与酋长球场的建设有关,而新球场的收益也为这些负债提供了可靠的担保。此外,俱乐部还在Queensland Road和其他两处获取了350处土地的开工批准许可,这些土地都是以较低的市价购入,阿森纳Supporters' Trust预计在两年内这些土地的能够为俱乐部谋得额外的4500万英镑的收益。
其实,在今年2月,俱乐部已经宣布税前半年收益有3520万英镑之多,也就是说温格已经有了充足的资金来购买球员。如今,海布里广场公寓的收益额的进一步确定,意味着今夏俱乐部花费3000万英镑用于转会是多么地轻松。这种资金充裕的状态很有可能持续到2012年。
With a limited number of the 655 private apartments still available, it means that profits from future property sales will soon go straight back into the club and be available to Wenger, who is expected to move for key players, with Everton teenager Jack Rodwell firmly on his radar.
The bank debt on Highbury Square has been slashed from £123.6 million in May 2009 to around £2 million today and will be wiped out within weeks. The apartments have cost just under £400,000 on average, meaning revenue from the remaining properties should generate around £20 million for the club.
That money will become available when the sales are completed, spreading the windfall for Wenger beyond just this summer. It is significantly less than the £100 million profit mooted when the project was conceived at the height of the property boom, but still a far better outlook than had looked likely when the global credit crunch struck. Indeed, at the beginning of last year the club were forced to renegotiate their initial loan until December 2010 amid fears that the project would not generate any profit.
The success in paying off the loan early also means that the club's overall debt is now below £175 million and relates almost exclusively to what is effectively a mortgage on the construction of the Emirates. The club also have permission for 350 market-priced units at Queensland Road and two other sites, leading the Arsenal Supporters' Trust to estimate that a cash surplus of £45 million is possible from property over the next two years.
With the club announcing pre-tax half-yearly profits of £35.2 million in February, Wenger already had significant funds available this summer to spend on transfers. However, the certainty now of profit from the Highbury Square development provides added security if the club want to spend more than £30 million. It also means that Wenger should have extra spending money available during 2011 and potentially 2012.