New Manchester United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been told to consider the possibility of demolishing the club’s Old Trafford home.
Ratcliffe bought out a 25% stake in Man Utd from the Glazer brothers in a dela confirmed on Christmas Eve and the Ineos billionaire has been charged with dragging the club into the modern era.
While the new owner’s remit will primarily focus on the playing and backroom staff in the short term, his intention is also to improve the aging infrastructure of the club.
Modernising Old Trafford is a leading priority in the long term, with the stadium widely considered unfit for purpose.
A report from the Telegraph indicates that Ratcliffe and the Glazers, who continue to hold a controlling 75% stake in Man Utd, have been told to consider knocking the iconic venue down and starting to build a new stadium from scratch.
“A team led by Populous, the global architectural design firm behind the stunning Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and management consultants Legends International were appointed in April last year to create a masterplan,” it is claimed.
“The three options currently on the table would involve either a small makeover project, expansion of the south stand over the adjacent railway and complete redevelopment of the existing ground, or the creation of an entirely new stadium.”
‘Exciting’ opportunity for Man Utd
The report quotes Chris Lee, chief exe of Populous, as stating that Old Trafford is “nearing its sell-by-dates” and requires “crucial” updates.
“I feel the new build may well turn out to be the most cost effective solution,” he said.
“Yes, the initial outlay is obviously the highest of the three options but there is so much land available to develop there.
“United could carry on using the existing ground while building work is underway, meaning no decline in matchday revenues.
“Architecturally, in the space available you could do something really innovative and exciting. There would be no space constrictions.”
The Telegraph states that redeveloping Old Trafford could cost Man Utd £800 million, with a new ground likely to set them back as much as £2 billion.
