Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has addressed the significant issues with Old Trafford. He has appointed "The Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force" to explore potential solutions, and their initial findings suggest that building a new stadium would be a better option than renovating the existing one.

Has Ratcliffe already decided?

World-renowned football expert David Ornstein recently appeared on NBC Sports to share the latest updates on the future of Old Trafford. The idea of staying has many logistical complications, said Ornstein. Maintaining the stadium at the same location and conducting renovations will cost over £1 billion. Meanwhile, building a new venue on the same site as Old Trafford would cost at least £4 billion, and Ratcliffe is leaning toward this option. Of course, this decision is not final, and the United owners could still choose a different direction.

© Airviews Photography (cc: by-nd) | Old Trafford

Highly impressed

Last month, Manchester United played Arsenal in a pre-season friendly at SoFi Stadium in the USA. The home of the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers is considered one of the best sports venues in the world. It's not just about the stadium itself but also the surrounding area. Mixed-use commercial spaces provide additional revenue streams for the two clubs that are the primary tenants.

What impressed me most was how the stadium played a key role in the development of Inglewood, Andy Cole told Sky Sports. I've been coming to Los Angeles for years, and this part of the city was never a place you'd visit as a tourist. You can see the similarities with the opportunities in Manchester. A new or redeveloped Old Trafford could be the centerpiece of revitalizing the surrounding areas. Cole also added that Manchester United fans and all the residents of northern England deserve a truly world-class stadium, and SoFi sets the standards to strive for.

© Grzegorz Kaliciak | SoFi Stadium

Whether England's SoFi will be built instead of the Wembley of the North remains to be seen. Concrete plans for the future of Manchester United's stadium are still likely a long way off.