Italian Serie A club Empoli FC has revealed plans for a complete redevelopment of its Stadio Carlo Castellani.

The stadium currently has a capacity of around 17,000, with most of the stands uncovered and the pitch separated from the fans by a running track.

Plans for the stadium – designed by Italian, Lucca-based architect Roberto Puliti – include increasing capacity to 20,000 and covering all stands with a roof, as well as removing the running track.

There are plans to improve the venue’s sustainability too, with the new roof being covered by solar panels, generating most of the electricity needed to operate the venue.

Empoli’s chief executive Francesco Ghelfi said the club would look to emulate fellow Serie A club Udinese and the way it is planning to transform its Friuli stadium.

Ghelfi said: “We believe this is a great opportunity. The redevelopment would allow us to replace the existing stands with modern ones, creating space for retail and hospitality.

“It would also allow us to improve our executive offering, with the creating of new modern boxes and suites closer to the field of play.”

Ghelfi added that the cost of the redevelopment would be around €11m and that the club had secured two partners who were “more than willing to invest” in the project.

Additional funding would be generated from renting commercial space within the new stadium.

Removal of the running track might, however, prove a controversial move, as the stadium is still owned by the local municipality.

The club is now looking to submit a planning permission to the local council and if approved, work on the first phase of the works could start as early as March 2016.