Mind the gap! How Arsenal are trying to close the financial gulf on Spurs, reveals ISAAN KHAN

Their lead on Tottenham Hotspur in the league is healthy but Arsenal have now set their sights on reeling in their north London neighbours elsewhere - with an aggression that makes even Mikel Arteta's touchline manner seem mild.

The fight is for the Gunners - once known as the Bank of England team due to their monetary might - to reclaim financial superiority over Spurs who, in the recent Deloitte Football Money League table, were confirmed as the capital's richest club.

While Spurs raked in £549.2million in revenue during the 2022-23 season - the eighth most in Europe - Arsenal brought in £463m, leaving them lagging behind in 10th.

But it was the commercial income figures which are most sobering for the Gunners. Arsenal's £167m was £57m behind Spurs, £41m behind Chelsea and less than half that of Manchester City, the top performing club in Europe.

But Arsenal are making moves to climb that table. They now have a 100-strong commercial team, data and insight analysts and forms of merchandise available that were once unimaginable. Take the 'Ian Wright pre-match shirt', just one item from a raft of adidas ranges.

For Spurs, their beautiful new stadium is the key. When Arsenal built the Emirates, the idea was that it would bring vast matchday revenues and financial ascendancy over their rivals. But its 60,000 capacity has now been eclipsed by the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which is being used far more aggressively to generate extra income.

It's not just the Spurs matchday experience - which is persuading fans to linger for 40 minutes longer on the concourses than they did on average at White Hart Lane - which brings in £800,000 income on catering sales alone. Tottenham also host NFL matches and concerts by artists such as