First look at Sir Jim Ratcliffe's 'new' Old Trafford 'masterplan' as Man Utd plot stadium move

Manchester United fans have been given a glimpse at Sir Jim Ratcliffe's stunning plans for a 'new' Old Trafford.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe became minority owner of Man United earlier this year, and one of his main promises to supporters is to solve the problem of United's dilapidated Old Trafford stadium.

The Theatre of Dreams is in desperate need of renovation, not just to keep fans dry - the roof leaks badly - but to catch United up with Europe's top clubs who have recently modernised their grounds.

United have not decided whether they will redevelop Old Trafford or build a new stadium on land next to their famous home.

Should they build a new ground then it will likely be the most expensive project of its kind in the UK, costing at least £2 billion.

As reported by Mail Online, in 2022 the Glazer family commissioned consultants to examine options for a redevelopment. Populous, the designers of Tottenham’s new stadium, were tasked with coming up with a masterplan.

They teamed up with US project manager Legends, which also worked on the redevelopment of Liverpool’s Anfield Road stand.

United would ideally like the new stadium to have a capacity of 100,000, which would make it the biggest arena in Europe ahead of Barcelona's Camp Nou.

The new ground would feature a huge new one-tiered Stretford End that would create a 'red wall' to rival Borussia Dortmund's 'Yellow wall' and surpass it as the single biggest stand in European football.

United believe such a feature is needed for a club of United's stature, and would create a better atmosphere which in turn would attract more fans from across the globe.

Potential 'new Old Trafford' - OLBG

The plans will also include a greater range of corporate facilities, something United have fallen behind on in recent years.

A project of this scale would not be feasible without wider regeneration of the surrounding area, with hotels, houses, office blocks, shops and restaurants helping to pay off debt and maximise revenue generated by the development.

United would seek public funding to help pay for the huge cost of the project, but that would largely be used for infrastructure costs and a potential new transport hub for Manchester.

Sponsors would certainly provide plenty of investment; stadium naming rights and a giant sponsored video board are both likely options.

The club would need to borrow a lot of money that would be offset against future revenues. United's debt currently stands at over $900m.

United hope that the project will take six years, which is slightly ambitious given that Tottenham's new ground opened eight years after it was approved.