Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants a decision on Old Trafford's future by end of the year
Published 29/07/2024 at 10:43 GMT+1
Old Trafford has come under much scrutiny due to its leaking roof and tiring facade, leading to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe pushing for a new stadium to be built. He has put together a task force to consider the options available to Manchester United, with the building of Britain's biggest stadium among them. Ratcliffe wants a decision made by the end of 2024.
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Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly pushing for a decision about the future of Old Trafford to be made by the end of the year - with the businessman favouring the construction of a brand-new stadium for the club.
Alongside Trafford Council, Ratcliffe has assembled an Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force which is chaired by Lord Sebastian Coe and includes the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and former United defender Gary Neville.
Reports suggest the group has already met on four occasions, with the main debate surrounding whether to renovate Old Trafford or build a new stadium from scratch.
Club sources have told the BBC that redevelopment of the existing stadium will cost around ÂŁ1.2bn and will take longer to complete than building a new 100,000-seat ground - which will come at a cost of around ÂŁ2bn.
Ratcliffe previously told the BBC "It's about time someone built a national stadium in the north of England”, so his stance is clear.
Sky Sports reports that a new development would be built “on club-owned land adjacent to Old Trafford”, which would allow the team to continue to play in the current stadium while building work commences.
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The roof of Old Trafford's Sir Alex Ferguson Stand and East Stand leaked during Manchester United's Premier League match against Arsenal
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Old Trafford currently has a capacity of 74,310 and although it is steeped in history, its upkeep has faced much criticism.
The club was left embarrassed when the stadium was flooded during a Premier League match against Arsenal last season due to a leaking roof.
Should a new stadium be built with a capacity of 100,000, it would overtake Wembley as the biggest in the United Kingdom and be the second largest in Europe behind Barcelona’s Nou Camp, which now seats 105,000 people following its recent renovation.
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In terms of what a new stadium would look like, United are said to have engaged with people involved in the regeneration projects at Wembley and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The club was also said to be impressed by the work done at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where they were beaten in a pre-season friendly by Arsenal.
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