MANCHESTER UNITED WILL build a brand new £2billion Old Trafford rather than redevelop the current ground.
They plan to make an announcement in December about the new stadium which will have a 100,000 capacity and be completed by 2030.
The club has been on fact-finding missions to other grounds, including The Bernabeu and Nou Camp in Spain, both of which have undergone huge renovations.
Officials have also been studying the SoFi Stadium out here in Los Angeles where United played Arsenal, as much for how the area around the ground has been regenerated.
The stadium was completed in 2020 and was part of a £4bn ‘Hollywood Complex’ to regenerate a major area of Inglewood.
It was all funded by Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke and the 70,000 stadium will host six World Cup games in 2026 including the competition’s opener.
United are looking to not only build a stadium but regenerate the area of Trafford where the ground will stand.
The Old Trafford task force was set up when Sir Jim Ratcliffe became a part owner of United and had looked hard at regenerating the current ground.
However, a number of logistical problems could have made the cost even higher than a new build while reducing the capacity as work was being done or even requiring the team to temporarily move.
Also, it is felt that a club of United’s standing should have a new state-of-the-art facility.
They are mindful of maintaining the club’s identity in the new stadium, which will be built on land adjacent to the Red Devils’ current home.
Old Trafford has been United’s home since 1910 and has undergone various extensions.
The club have consulted with 30,000 fans about what to do and believe there is roughly a 50-50 split on staying or moving.
The project’s funding is still being discussed, with the idea of a mixture of public and private funding.
United have already contacted the new Labour Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, who is said to be open to government support for wider transport links as part of the project.
