Manchester United’s owners aim to finalize their decision on investing over £2 billion in a new 100,000-seat stadium by the end of 2024.
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe envisions a ‘Wembley of the North’ for the club and, along with Trafford Council, has established a taskforce to evaluate the feasibility of constructing a new stadium and redeveloping Old Trafford trang cá cược bóng đá uy tín.
The taskforce, led by Lord Sebastian Coe, also features Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former Manchester United captain Gary Neville.
Club sources revealed that the group has convened four times so far, with discussions primarily focused on constructing a new stadium rather than renovating the current one, which would cost approximately £1.2bn and take more time.
It has been emphasized that no decision has been made yet.
Ratcliffe’s £1.25bn acquisition of a 27.7% stake in the club included £237m earmarked for future stadium investment. His Ineos Group has assumed control of football operations from the Glazer family, who remain the majority owners.
Renovating the 74,310-capacity Old Trafford, Manchester United’s home since 1910, poses challenges such as the railway line behind the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and the need to significantly reduce capacity during construction. This would result in inconvenience for fans and a substantial loss of revenue.
Unlike Tottenham, who used Wembley as a temporary home while their £1.2bn stadium was being built, Manchester United lack a clear alternative venue for their matches.
The club aims for a design that reflects their heritage in an industrial city, and it’s expected that the statues currently around Old Trafford would be moved to the new stadium.
Ratcliffe hopes that both local and national governments will contribute to the funding of the project, though realistically, their involvement is expected to focus mainly on improving transport links.
The specifics of how the stadium will be financed are still being discussed.
At today’s exchange rates, Manchester United’s current debt stands at £647.5m, not including outstanding transfer fee payments. This includes $650m (£504.5m) in historic debt from the Glazer family’s 2005 takeover and £143m from a revolving credit facility.
The Glazers are being regularly updated on the ongoing discussions Thapcamtv.
Sources revealed that Manchester United’s chief operating officer, Collette Roche, has been evaluating stadium redevelopment projects globally, including the Optus Stadium in Perth, which opened in 2018, and Real Madrid’s renovated Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
Officials have also engaged in discussions with representatives from SoFi Stadium, which has a 70,000-seat capacity, where United were defeated by Arsenal during a U.S. tour match on Saturday.
Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts confirmed that Stan Kroenke, owner of the Gunners, financed the entire $5 billion (£3.88 billion) for the construction of SoFi Stadium, the home of the LA Rams and LA Chargers. He described the stadium as the “pre-eminent stadium in the world.”
He told BBC Sport: “Typically, when a team moves into a new stadium, the city contributes between $300-$500 million (£232.86 million-£388.1 million) towards construction costs or provides an equivalent value in land.”
“We didn’t follow the usual route of city funding or land acquisition. Instead, we leveraged the location and struck a deal that worked for both parties. Stan Kroenke covered the entire $5 billion (£3.88 billion) himself.”