Manchester United announce huge plans for new 100,000-seater stadium

Manchester United has unveiled plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium at Old Trafford. Co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who acquired a minority stake last February, has expressed his preference for a new build to replace the club's 115-year-old home on the same site.

Conceptual images and scaled models, designed by architect Lord Norman Foster, were revealed on Tuesday at Foster + Partners' headquarters in London. The Manchester Evening News previously reported that club officials estimate the cost of a new stadium to be around £2 billion.

United have lost £300m in the past three years and they are in danger of breaching the Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules. But Ratcliffe believes a new stadium is financially viable under government plans to regenerate the Trafford Park area - a proposal already backed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

It's estimated that the stadium, along with the wider regeneration project, could potentially contribute an additional £7.3bn per year to the UK economy. United have secured land surrounding the stadium to expand the footprint if or when they receive permission to start construction. The club owns 100 acres.

A survey of 30,000 fans revealed a roughly even split between those supporting a new-build and those favouring a redevelopment of Old Trafford. Ratcliffe, 72, has previously described Old Trafford as "run-down" and suggested it had "fallen behind the best arenas in world sport".

"Today marks the start of an incredibly exciting journey to the delivery of what will be the world's greatest football stadium, at the centre of a regenerated Old Trafford," he proclaimed. "Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport. By building next to the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly state-of-the-art stadium that transforms the fan experience only footsteps from our historic home.

"Just as important is the opportunity for a new stadium to be the catalyst for social and economic renewal of the Old Trafford area, creating jobs and investment not just during the construction phase but on a lasting basis when the stadium district is complete."

He also stressed the national importance of the project, stating: "The government has identified infrastructure investment as a strategic priority, particularly in the north of England, and we are proud to be supporting that mission with this project of national, as well as local, significance."

Renowned architect Lord Foster, who hails from Manchester and supports United, expressed his enthusiasm for the project by saying designing a new Old Trafford is "one of the most exciting projects in the world today", and he described the vision for the development as a "mixed-use miniature city of the future".

The ambitious plans were articulated with a focus on the fans, as explained: "It all starts with the fans' experience, bringing them closer than ever to the pitch and acoustically cultivating a huge roar. The stadium is contained by a vast umbrella, harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square."

Spearheading a sustainable initiative, it was outlined that "The outward-looking stadium will be the beating heart of a new sustainable district, which is completely walkable, served by public transport, and endowed by nature."

Highlighting the project's scale, it was described as "It is a mixed-use miniature city of the future – driving a new wave of growth and creating a global destination that Mancunians can be proud of."

Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson, who will conclude his £2.1m-a-year ambassadorial role at season's end, endorsed the initiative, stating: "Manchester United should always strive for the best in everything it does, on and off the pitch, and that includes the stadium we play in."

He fondly reflected: "Old Trafford holds so many special memories for me personally, but we must be brave and seize this opportunity to build a new home, fit for the future, where new history can be made."