Manchester United have secured the majority of the land required for their proposed new 100,000-seater stadium.<\/p>\n
The club have announced they have acquired a 25-acre site close to Old Trafford, taking a major step forward in their plans to build the biggest sporting arena in the UK.<\/p>\n
The purchase of the triangular-shaped plot 350 metres to the north west of their existing stadium means adjacent land owned by Freightliner will not be required.<\/p>\n
The location of the nearby freight terminal had previously been a complicating factor.<\/p>\n
Collette Roche, chief executive of the new stadium development, said: “Today’s news highlights the progress we\u2019re making towards a world-class new home for Manchester United and represents a significant milestone as we move into the next phase of development.<\/p>\n
“Being able to build so close to Old Trafford allows us to preserve the heritage, traditions and rituals that are so important to our fans.<\/p>\n
“Securing the right land for our new home has been absolutely critical and the land we\u2019ve acquired gives us the stage to deliver a truly world-class stadium that honours our past and is ready for our future.”<\/p>\n
United first unveiled plans for their ambitious \u20ac2.3billion stadium in March 2025.<\/p>\n
Old Trafford has been home to the 13-time English Premier League champions since 1910. The stadium, which seats more than 74,000, has not undergone any major redevelopment since 2006 and has also faced issues including a leaking roof, inadequate drainage and rodent sightings.<\/p>\n
Minority owner Jim Ratcliffe, who holds a roughly 29% stake and oversees football operations, has favoured building a brand-new stadium over renovating Old Trafford<\/a>.<\/p>\n United CEO Omar Berrada said in March last year the investment in the new stadium could affect squad spending and competitiveness for five years.<\/p>\n The venue will be the centre-piece of a wider 370-acre regeneration project featuring 15,000 new homes and creating 48,000 new jobs locally and 90,000 nationally.<\/p>\n A masterplan and details of a formal consultation period will be published on 9 July.<\/p>\n