Man United eye breakthrough in bid to finally launch Old Trafford project | OneFootball

Manchester United are reportedly optimistic about a breakthrough in talks over the surrounding land at Old Trafford, which will finally get the stadium rebuild project underway.

Ambitious plan

In March last year, United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe officially announced plans for United to leave Old Trafford and move to a brand new state-of-the-art 100,000-seater stadium.

The stadium, which is set to be the biggest in the UK, is expected to cost around £2bn. Ratcliffe confirmed that United want to have an iconic stadium that is befitting of the club’s status as the biggest and most popular football team in the world.

United’s released plans showcase an umbrella design that its architects say will harvest solar energy and rainwater. Three masts are also included, making the structure visible from 40 kilometres away.

A few weeks ago, United announced that they are advancing efforts to secure funding for the project. Although some public money will go toward infrastructure and amenities, the government has made it clear that United must bear the cost of building the stadium itself.

The main obstacle preventing the project from finally moving forward, however, involves the surrounding land owned by Freightliner. While that land is essential, the club and Freightliner are still far apart when it comes to its valuation.

Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, previously indicated that compulsory purchase orders could be deployed to obtain the space should the two sides fail to agree on a deal.

Now, the BBC report that United are more optimistic that an agreement can be struck.

Old Trafford update

The news outlet claims, “Manchester United officials are hoping to make a breakthrough in their negotiations with Freightliner over the land needed to build their proposed new stadium this summer.”

“A deal with Freightliner is understood to be the key to unlocking the project. Until United know what land they can use, they cannot settle on a final design, which is needed to establish how much it will cost and to work out the best way to fund it.”

On the small matter of a compulsory purchase order on the site, the BBC say that United are not too keen on this option as it could take years to effect.

United’s intention is to continue playing at Old Trafford until the new stadium is fully ready for occupancy. It’s understood that significant parts of the stadium can be brought in by ship from various locations around the world, similar to what INEOS is currently doing at their Project One construction site in Antwerp.

Featured image Christopher Furlong via Getty Images

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