Manchester United drop biggest hint yet over new stadium in Old Trafford negotiations
Manchester United are in talks with the Rugby Football League over a new deal to continue hosting the Grand Final - and the plans hint at the direction for Old Trafford
Manchester United have given a hint that they are pushing ahead with plans to build a brand new stadium next to Old Trafford.
Plans for a new stadium have accelerated since the takeover by petrochemicals billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe in February. Initially the idea of renovating Old Trafford was considered, with the holes in the roof highlighting the current level of disrepair, but the club were later told it was beyond repair.
It became clear that the best option would be to build a new stadium on an adjacent site, with a £2billion, 100,000-seater being planned by architects Populous. With the new stadium taking six to eight years to complete, United would continue to play at the current Old Trafford.
Mirror Football understands that official confirmation of the plans will come before the end of 2024, but an indication of the way forward has come with City AM reporting that United are in talks with the Rugby Football League to continue hosting the sport’s Grand Final. Old Trafford has played host to all but one of the last 26 showpiece matches and the club want to continue that streak.
The RFL had reportedly initially suggested a one-year extension to the deal to host the Grand Final. But United are keen to secure a longer-term contract, which suggests they are ready to push ahead with the plans to keep Old Trafford open and build a new stadium alongside it.
Ratcliffe has set up an Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, which includes Lord Sebastian Coe, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and former United captain Gary Neville to explore the options. The INEOS chief executive wants to return United to their former glories – and building a new stadium is key to that vision.
He has taken inspiration from the 70,000-capacity SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where United lost 2-1 to Arsenal in a pre-season friendly in July. So-Fi is not just a stadium – it has a ‘Hollywood Park’ area around it which boasts a 6,000-seat concert venue, apartments and hotels. It cost around £4bn and was funded by Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke.
Back in March, Ratcliffe said: “The north-west of England has a greater concentration of major football clubs than anywhere else in the world, yet we don’t have a stadium on the scale of Wembley, the Nou Camp or Bernabeu. We will not be able to change that on our own, which is why this task force is so important to help us seize this once-in-a-century opportunity.”
Should the plans go ahead, the RFL could well be forced to look for a new home for the Grand Final, which attracts around 60,000 fans each year. Ironically, United’s rivals Manchester City could provide a better fit at their Etihad Stadium.
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