Premier League club plans to abandon its iconic stadium for a brand new 50,000-seat arena

NOTTINGHAM FOREST could be set to leave the City Ground for a new 50,000-seat stadium, according to reports.

Forest chairman Tom Cartledge has been trying to push through plans to expand the club’s existing ground from 30,445 to 40,000.

He plans to achieve this with two new stands funded by owner Evangelos Marinakis.

However, according to The Athletic, Forest have failed to agree a new lease with Nottingham City Council, which owns the land on which the City Ground sits.

This has led the Premier League side to consider their options, one of which is to build a brand new stadium with a capacity of 50,000.

This decision would lead them to leave what has been their home since 1898.

Cartledge revealed that Toton, six miles southwest of the city of Nottingham, was a potential location for the project.

He said: “It (Toton) is one of many potential spots.

“It’s not as simple as saying, ‘Here’s a piece of land, go build a stadium.’ There are highways, transportation and connectivity issues.

“But it’s fair to say we’re making progress on due diligence across different sites.”

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

Forest, who lost four points earlier this season for breaching profit and sustainability rules, insist Marinakis has the funds to press ahead with infrastructure plans for a stadium and pitch training.

This follows the recent failure of a deal to purchase land for a new training ground off the A52 eastbound due to a “financial disparity between what we believe the value of the land and what landowners ask for.

Nottingham-born Cartledge, who urged fans to believe “something incredible” could be built, added: “Mr Marinakis is incredibly ambitious. If we did something with those two things together – the pitch “training and the stadium – that’s all you would do.” once.

“When it comes to these big decisions, he takes tremendous pride and responsibility to get it right.”

Forest’s uncertainty over their long-term residency led the club to suspend work on the executive suite ‘corner boxes’ which were to be erected either side of the Trent End.

Work began in February when Forest moved one of the floodlights as part of the £7 million project.

But the club now wants more clarity from the council “before spending significant sums on capital projects”.

Forest has 33 years remaining on the lease of the land on which the City Ground is built.

They also still face the prospect of being relegated to the Championship after two seasons in the top flight.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men sit just three points above the drop zone with two matches remaining.

They host Chelsea on Saturday, before traveling to Turf Moor to face Burnley on the final day.