Manchester United, under the guidance of a task force that includes Seb Coe and Gary Neville, is leaning towards constructing a new stadium on the site where Old Trafford currently stands. The plan initially considered demolishing the stadium, which has been the club’s home since 1910, to make as much room as possible for the new venue.

More space needed

The club owns the land surrounding Old Trafford, but given the planned capacity of 100,000 spectators and the intention to build a hotel and entertainment zone, demolishing the current stadium would provide even more space. However, United has listened to the opinions of fans who disagree with the idea of tearing down a stadium with such rich history and now wants to change the original plan.

The club is currently considering the possibility of preserving the existing stadium and reducing its capacity to around 30,000. This would allow United's women's team and junior teams to play at Old Trafford, providing them with a permanent home.

© Greater Manchester Police

Huge sums at stake

The task force aims to make a decision by December and present the plan to the club’s board. The idea of a £1.1 billion renovation of Old Trafford is still on the table, although it is losing support, and it is expected that the option to build a new arena will ultimately be accepted.

The main reason is that renovating the current stadium could take about a decade, during which United would play in front of significantly smaller crowds at times. In contrast, building a new stadium would take around six years, and Manchester could continue playing at Old Trafford until the new venue is ready. The investment will cost approximately £2 billion.