Need the latest Foxes transfer news? Get FREE email alerts for Leicester City FC Sign up! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Leicester City are still committed to the expansion of King Power Stadium, LeicestershireLive understands.

City announced at the start of last season that they were looking at how to increase the capacity at King Power Stadium but have revealed no details since on how they might develop the stadium, leading to speculation the club had shelved the plans over the financial viability of the project.

The current economic climate, Brexit and the sudden death of chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha last October were also seen as possible factors in City cooling their plans, however LeicestershireLive understands the project is still very much alive.

City have purchased six-and-a-half acres of land behind the East Stand, which is understood to be the stand that will be developed along similar lines to the Anfield expansion in Liverpool.

However, City are still at the very early stages of planning what they will do to increase the capacity, which could see King Power host crowds of around 40,000, and what form the expansion will take, including which facilities and which type of seating will be included.

Anfield’s main stand development cost them £110 million but boosted their revenue on matchdays by £12 million per season, due mainly to an increase in hospitality income.

Regardless, the City project means another big investment in facilities on the back of the state-of-the-art training ground currently under construction at Charnwood, which cost cost as much as £100 million, but City are still committed to the King Power Stadium project.

The training ground facility, which will be amongst the best in Europe, has become City’s priority and focus as they look to get it complete by the start of the 2020-21 season.

When that is open, energies will be redirected to the stadium expansion, which could also include a permanent memorial to Khun Vichai, who stated his commitment to the stadium plans in his annual pre-season address last August.

His son Khun Aiyawatt recently said at the end of season dinner that he wanted to fulfil his father’s vision for the club.

“It is something we have thought about a lot over the last eight years, but we had to be sure that the club was ready to take that step and that it was consistent with the sustainable growth of the club,” Khun Vichai wrote in the matchday magazine for the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“The King Power Stadium atmosphere has been such a big asset to Leicester City during that time that we had to make sure any possible expansion would be good for the matchday experience and the advantage it gives to the team on the pitch.

“Having studied the evidence and current trends we felt now, following the growth and success of the last two years, was the time to move forward.

“It’s a really exciting project that we are determined to deliver for our fans and the Leicester community.

“King Power Stadium is already a major asset to Leicester that has not only been the stage for some of the greatest sporting stories ever seen, but it has brought some of the finest international sport to the city too.

“The Premier League, the Champions League, the Rugby World Cup, senior England internationals – all major sporting events and competitions this stadium has hosted, proudly bringing attention, prestige and economic revenue to this great sporting city.

“Imagine what will be possible with an increased capacity, improved facilities and purposeful investment in the surrounding site.

“We see it not only as an opportunity for the club, but as our duty to give the city of Leicester a venue and a destination worthy of its strong standing in world sport.

“There are still parties to be consulted and processes to be observed before we can commit to a timeline or detailed plans, (including capacity), but I’m confident that, with the support of our fans and our community, we will be able to report some progress in the near future.”