Liverpool Football Club (LFC) has admitted that plans to renovate its existing Anfield home are looking "increasingly unlikely" due to the number of planning hurdles blocking the scheme.

Ian Ayre, managing director of the Premier League club, said that "significant changes" are required to overcome issues such as land/property acquisition and statutory requirements. LFC has been examining its options, including a new-build stadium located in Stanley Park, but conceded that a refurbishment would present a "significantly lower cost".

Ayre said: "It's disappointing that based on where we are at the moment, we seem to be unable to press on with the more viable economic option of a refurbishment, but we remain committed to finding the best possible long-term solution. "We already have a very healthy dialogue in place with several leading brands regarding naming rights for a new stadium, but like every major deal we have ever done, that just takes time to explore in full."

Liverpool City Council leader Joe Anderson added: "Although we are fully supportive of the club, we can't ignore the fact that the clock is and has been ticking, and people need certainty about the development." Image: Robert Cutts