EXCLUSIVE: Industry experts have shared their thoughts on Manchester United's plans to build a new stadium
a handout provided by Foster + Partners of a conceptual image of what the new Manchester United stadium and surrounding area could look like. Manchester United’s vision for a widescale regeneration of the Old Trafford area around a new stadium has moved a step forward with Trafford Council appointing a consortium to develop a master plan.
Images of what the new Manchester United stafium could look like were released in March 2025(Image: PA)
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Manchester United's plans for a new 100,000-seater Old Trafford stadium have prompted concerns within the architectural industry. The club have calculated that the new stadium could cost £2billion.
United recently confirmed that the project will be privately financed, following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's previous hopes that taxpayers could partly fund the ground. There were initial suggestions that the 2030/31 season could be a target deadline, though new stadium development chief executive Collette Roche has since pushed back on that timeline.
"I think when we launched the idea of a new stadium 12 months ago, we did say it would take between four and five years for construction," Roche recently said on United's Inside Carrington podcast. "And that's right. But I think people read that as we might have the stadium ready for 2030.
"But as you know, with a stadium build as complex as the one that we're going to enter into, it does take one or two years to get ready for construction, to get the land assembled, to get the funds in place and to get the planning permission, so that's the part we are doing right now. We have not named a date for opening but we are on track."
The club appointed Foster + Partners to develop a stadium plan as part of a wider regeneration project in September 2024 and conceptual images were released last March. However, United face several issues before construction gets underway.
An industry source told the Manchester Evening News: "[The club are] clearly trying to work on the funding and until they get that, nothing’s happening really. There is speculation within the industry that the figure quoted for the whole project is optimistic. So it may end up being considerably more than that."
A major sticking point concerns land owned by Freightliner, situated behind the Stretford End. It has been suggested that the fact United have already shared their new stadium plans publicly could make negotiations more difficult.
An industry expert explained: "It includes the rail freight land they need etc. and they announced that without confirming the land so that changes everything in the negotiations."
The tent-shaped roof was a notable part of the designs released last year. Industry estimates suggest the roof could cost up to £300million, representing a significant portion of the projected £2bn budget.
New Manchester United stadium plans
Manchester United's new stadium is set to be costly (Image: PA)
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A source told MEN Sport: "It’s certainly not the conventional way to go about it. You secure the land first and then you announce your designs.
"The sense in the industry is that they had to unveil that concept design - and they were careful to call it a concept design - to then go and secure the funding. It was no longer enough to just do it on a promise. They had to show something. Whether the final result ends up being that design or not, I think is open to debate."
In her recent club interview, Roche reiterated that United's plans remained the same as when the conceptual images were released last March. The new stadium development chief executive said: "Yeah, absolutely. It's the same ambition, same vision, we want to build a stadium that's befitting of our past but also fit for the future."
Once construction is underway, the new stadium could feasibly be completed within five years. However, the necessary land must be secured before any building work begins.
An added factor is the potential rise in raw-material costs during this time, which could lead United to go over budget. In February, financial data for the second quarter showed United’s debt is close to £1.3bn.
As part of the stadium plans, the club has been working with the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation, launched in January and chaired by Lord Coe. United’s new stadium development CEO Roche recently provided an overall update on the project.
"We've made a lot of progress in the last 12 months," Roche said. "But to be fair, a lot of it has been behind the scenes. So people might not have seen that, but some of the examples of progress we've made are first and foremost in land assembly.
"We want to make sure we get the best possible position for the stadium, one which has got plenty of land around it to put the right facilities in place, one that is connected and offers a great matchday experience. I have been spending a lot of time talking to all of the local land owners to understand where that needs to be and we are progressing that really, really well. I am hoping to be able to share some positive news on that front in the next few months."
She continued: "I think the second area that we've done a lot in is around investment, and I'm delighted to say we've had a lot of interest. There's a lot of people and organisations that want to invest, not just in the stadium, but also in the wider stadium district. And so those conversations are naturally going to be behind closed doors."