Man United are considering three possible options
Old Trafford could be knocked down and rebuilt as Manchester United consider a series of options as part of plans to upgrade the stadium.
As reported by The Telegraph, United are close to reaching an agreement with their preferred partners to undergo the biggest redevelopment project in the club’s history.
Each of the bidders were asked to submit three designs for the project – with one proposal suggesting a complete rebuild of the iconic venue.
Should the idea go ahead, there is potential for a new Old Trafford to rival Wembley Stadium in terms of capacity. Currently, Old Trafford can hold 74,140 people whereas Wembley can hold up to 90,000 people.
The Glazer family have been heavily criticised by United’s fanbase for their neglect of the current ground, which they feel is outdated and way behind in infrastructure compared to some of their rivals.
One stumbling block to the idea would be finding United an alternative location to play. Any rebuild is likely to take anywhere between two to three years, however there is no stadium close enough to Old Trafford in the North West that could be used temporarily.
Any ground share proposal with another club would present problems and would also see a significant dip in match day revenue however the club are willing to keep their options open.
Two of the other ideas include:
- An expansion of Old Trafford’s existing South Stand, which would involve going up and over the top of the adjacent railway line and increase capacity to over 80,000, plus an overhaul of the rest of the stadium
- A complete revamp of the existing stadium, including a drastic overhaul of the club’s corporate hospitality, but with no South Stand expansion.
If United were to pick one of those options however, it is believed that they would favour a more staggered approach when it comes to the rebuild so that they can avoid relocating temporarily or having to close the South Stand during the developments.
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