ARSENAL are looking into the possibility of leaving their historic Highbury home for a bigger stadium. Problems expanding the current ground, which is hemmed in by housing, have led the club to consider building a new 55,000-seat stadium, possibly adjacent to the M25.

David Dein, the Arsenal vice-chairman, has stressed that this would be "a last extreme", but plans to expand Highbury to 55,000 could prove too difficult. The local Islington council, at the club's request, are compiling a detailed study of all the options to upgrade the stadium, Arsenal's home since 1913. However, any future expansion would appear to be confined to redeveloping the Clock End which is currently only one tier high and backed by offices and indoor training facilities which could make way for an enlarged stand.

This is only likely to increase the capacity to about 45,000, well short of the 50,000-55,000 Dein feels is needed to maximise the club's earning power. The club is known to be considering all the options in their pursuit of that, capacity and this includes moving. "We've outgrown Highbury admitted Dein.

Arsenal yesterday signed 19-year-old goalkeeper Alexander Manninger from Austrian club, Casino Graz after he impressed manager Arsene Wenger in a two-day trial at Highbury.

Arsenal refused to disclose the size of the fee and the length of contract signed by the under-21 international but it is believed to be around £500,000 for a five-year agreement. Manninger, however, will not be back at Higbury again until the summer as he has returned home to play for Graz for the remainder of the season.

Wenger said: "We needed to sign a young goalkeeper and this is a very good one."

Arsenal's England goalkeeper David Seaman (33), is currently recovering from a knee operation last month and his deputy John Lukic (35) was ruled out with a poisoned toe at Southampton last Saturday.

Wenger and the club's chairman Peter Hill-Wood are now in France, hoping to finalise the signing of a number of other players on the club's wanted list. Wenger said he is looking to strengthen the team in all positions, but a new striker was top of the list. To that end the Frenchman and HillWood were in Monaco last night to watch 19-year-old Thierry Henry play against Newcastle.

Tonight, Wenger is expected to watch Auxerre v Borussia Dortmund with his eyes on the home side's 28-year-old Algerian inter national midfielder Moussa Saib. He is also due to have talks with the Nantes Zaire-born French international winger Claude Makelele about a possible £2 million move to Highbury.