Manchester United are eyeing a £2bn rebuild of Old Trafford to turn the stadium into a new 100,000-seater venue, according to reports.
New United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has ordered a full evaluation of all the options available the club when it comes to the much-needed refurbishment of Old Trafford, including redeveloping the current site or simply knocking it down and starting from scratch.
According to The Athletic, the current focus of the review concerns building a new stadium on land adjacent to the current Old Trafford site – a move which would allow United to continue playing at their current home while the new ground is built.
Ratcliffe’s preference is to build a new stadium with a capacity of around 100,000 in a complex which could include other attractions, such as restaurants and retail outlets. Inspiration is being drawn from the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
Renovating the current stadium is expected to cost around half the price of a full rebuild but would also necessitate closures around Old Trafford while work is done, leading to an obvious drop in matchday income. There are even fears that such a limited capacity could prevent all 51,000 season-ticket holders from attending weekly.
Importantly, no final decision has been made on the future of Old Trafford until the task force in place has completed its evaluation and presented its findings to supporters at the end of the year.
Chief operating officer Collette Roche is in Los Angeles alongside new chief executive Omar Berrada to observe the SoFi Stadium, while Roche is also believed to have visited Real Madrid to discuss their Santiago Bernabeu modernisation project.
Finances are expected to play a major part in any decision, with United officials also exploring how such a huge project would be feasible.
Ratcliffe has previously suggested he could use the UK government’s Levelling Up department for financial aid, but the INEOS chief could also provide his own funding and money could even be raised through further sponsorship deals for the new site.
The idea of taking out a loan has also been discussed, although United are wary of the fan response to such a proposal after years of frustration towards the issue of debts stemming from the ownership of the Glazer family.
What we know
- Man Utd continue to evaluate all options involving Old Trafford refurbishment
- Club considering both redevelopment of current site and completely fresh rebuild
- Report claims new £2bn stadium could be build.