Liverpool FC: New stadium plans get big boost

English soccer club Liverpool's plans to build a new stadium have been handed a boost by the club's huge increase in shirt sponsorship revenues.

The club has agreed a four-year sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered worth more than US$130 million - a significant increase from the club's current agreement with Carlsberg, worth less than US$15 million per season. Liverpool managing director Christian Purslow has identified the stadium project as one of the key areas that will benefit from the increased revenues.

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"The overall financial health of our football club is a key ingredient of being able to get the stadium project back up and running," said Purslow. "This is a huge step forward for the club financially and that can only be helpful to create the conditions in which we can restart the stadium project.

"It is a real sign of the progress we have made at Liverpool that we have been able to secure the largest ever commercial deal in our history."