Manchester United is poised to unveil ambitious plans for the construction of a new world-class stadium on the land adjacent to Old Trafford, which would involve the demolition of their historic home that has stood for 115 years. Since his arrival in February 2024, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been evaluating various options as he aims to restore the club’s profitability, with the new stadium project reportedly being his preferred approach.
In the previous year, a specialized task force, including figures such as Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and club icon Gary Neville, was established to investigate potential avenues. This group has since produced a report assessing the feasibility of either constructing a modern football stadium or renovating Old Trafford. The estimated cost for replacing ‘The Theatre of Dreams’ with a new facility is around £2 billion, although the specifics of how the club plans to finance this endeavor remain uncertain.
Nonetheless, it appears that this is the direction the club intends to pursue. According to The Athletic, an announcement is anticipated on Tuesday regarding their intention to develop an impressive stadium with a capacity of 100,000.
The Red Devils are expected to reveal designs created by the esteemed architect Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, along with an explanation regarding the delicate choice to depart from Old Trafford.
Neville stated that he had reviewed the plans and characterized them as “extraordinary,” while Ratcliffe indicated a desire to relocate within the next six years.
“I won’t say much more, but Norman Foster, who also is a Mancunian and is the world’s greatest architect in my view, really has created the most iconic — well, you’ve seen it — the most iconic stadium, incredible,” Ratcliffe said.
“It would be marvellous if Manchester United could go down that road and, in five years’ time or six years’ time, have that stadium.”
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