Images of what Manchester United's proposed new 'Wembley of the North' stadium could look like have been revealed amid reports that the club plan to build a new ground adjacent to Old Trafford.
The Athletic reported on Monday that a club taskforce has initially concluded that United should build a new Old Trafford, at a cost of around £2 billion.
It is claimed that United would be able to continue playing at their existing home while the stadium is being built, with a slated construction time of around six years.
The taskforce was set by by new United minority co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who would have to consult and engage with supporters before any agreement can be finalised.
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It is reported that the club plan for their new stadium to have a capacity of 100,000, although the taskforce - which consists of United legend Gary Neville, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and the chief executive of Trafford Council, Sara Todd - are 'focusing attentions on what a new build might look like' at this stage.
The £2 billion sum, meanwhile, would have to be part-financed elsewhere, with Ratcliffe said to be assessing options.
The decision to move away from Old Trafford has been a controversial one for supporters due to the sentimental value of their current stadium, but it is no secret the ground needs work following years of neglect.
Speaking in an interview via The Independent back in March, Ratcliffe explained his decision to push for a move away from Old Trafford.
“We can refurbish the ground and have a fantastic stadium, that will take about a billion to do that, and the club can shoulder that burden," he began.
"But we have got this opportunity to build a new ground if we choose to. We’ve got enough space to build a completely new ground.
“If we build a completely new ground, it would be state of the art, world-class, [have a capacity of] 90,000 or even 100,000. I think that then provides a platform for some of the big competitions in the north of England. Why shouldn’t England play in the north? Why is the FA Cup final always in the south?
“It (United) needs to have a stadium that is befitting the club and the brand. That might have been the case 20 years ago, but it isn’t today. [Old Trafford] is a little bit tired."
Here are some AI images of what the new stadium may look like via OLBG:
Ratcliffe used the example of the various Spanish stadiums to back himself up, claiming despite the Premier League's superiority the league is still well behind La Liga when it comes to stadia.
“If you look at what Real Madrid are doing with the Bernabeu and Barcelona with the Nou Camp, the Bernabeu is fabulous. It’s like a cauldron of noise. The Nou Camp is enormous and they are spending a lot of money revamping it," Ratcliffe said.
“You look at the Premier League, we don’t have anything that compares. And yet the Premier League is several times bigger than the Spanish league in terms of size, scale and importance today.
"That’s where all the money is with TV. The Premier League needs to have some grounds which are the equal of our European competitors."
Topics: Football, Manchester United, Premier League, Sir Jim Ratcliffe
Tom Jenkins