Man Utd chief gives major update on £2billion new stadium and reveals why ‘Wembley of the North' plan might NOT happen
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
MANCHESTER UNITED chief Omar Berrada has given the clearest indication yet that the club will only build a new stadium if it receives financial backing from the government.
Earlier this year minority United owner and billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiled ambitious new plans for a £2bn stadium which would hold 100,000 fans and be built next to the current Old Trafford.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
6
Manchester United unveiled plans to build a 100,000-seater stadium earlier this year
Credit: Manchester United
6
United CEO Omar Berrada has hinted that the project won't go ahead without government funding
Credit: Getty
Sir Jim said plans to regenerate the area around the stadium with 17,000 homes, shops, restaurants and hotels, would boost the UK economy by £7.3bn.
But the plans could only go ahead if the surrounding area was developed using taxpayers' money.
In a recent interview with Red Issue fanzine, Berada said: 'We still see the stadium as the catalyst for the wider regeneration project.
"So we do need the government to commit to developing the area around the stadium for it to make sense.
READ MORE ON MAN UTD
VIK HOPE Man U and Arsenal given Gyokeres boost as striker reaches new transfer agreement
'Without it it doesn't make sense for us to build the stadium as a standalone.
"We believe that it could be a catalyst for one of the biggest, if not the biggest regeneration projects that this area of the country has ever seen.
'And it'll bring benefits for the wider community in terms of home, jobs, health, and all that, that can yield an enormous amount of positive impact.
"Hopefully the government will support it and put the funds behind it.'
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Concept images of the ground have teased a huge wraparound scoreboard, along with a three-storey museum and canal-side restaurants as part of a vast fan village.
If the plans do go ahead United will be able to continue playing at Old Trafford during the construction process, before demolishing the historic ground once they move into their new home.
Man Utd reveal first pics of redeveloped 100,000-capacity Old Trafford in 'biggest regeneration scheme ever seen'
During the announcement of the ambitious project, Ratcliffe said: "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."
6
Old Trafford will be demolished and new ground will be built on adjacent land
6
The new ground promises to be the largest football stadium in England
6
United have vowed to build the fan experience zone of the future
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
21 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Soccer culture clash at Club World Cup as American woman reports Argentine fans to cops over 'throwing beer and shoving' - but they say SHE was wrong
A clash of cultures erupted at Seattle's Lumen Field during the Club World Cup as an American woman reported a group of Argentine fans to stadium staff and police. The tensions occurred during Inter Milan 's 2-0 victory over River Plate earlier in the week - a match that was heated on the pitch as well, with the Buenos Aires side receiving two red cards and six booking issued in total. The woman described being surrounded by River fans who refused to respect assigned seating and crowded into her section in raucous fashion. She explained on social media that the situation turned physical when she confronted the fans, claiming they threw beer on her and shoved her boyfriend away. She called security, and eventually local police arrived to intervene. The woman could be heard screaming in a video uploaded on TikTok: 'This is our seat, we paid for the seat.' One of the River fans responded: 'We paid too,' before the American woman demanded they showed their tickets. @_jung_kook_wifey We approach them with our tickets in our hand and they're like 'there's no assigned seats' like we don't go to almost every Sounder game and know the drill. They got aggressive real quick throwing beer and shoving my bf and pulling my hair. #ClubWorldCup ♬ original sound - lou ❀𓇼𓏲☘︎ River Plate fans ignored ticket allocations and sat in her set, leading to a heated confrontation The woman alleged that beer was thrown on her hair and that her boyfriend was shoved away The River fan then said: 'You can sit anywhere, it doesn't matter [about] your ticket,' much to the woman's frustration, who insisted again: 'It does. This is our seat, we paid for the seat.' In South American football culture, supporters often cluster together and ignore seat assignments on their tickets. The woman recognised this, but argued that these norms do not override the fact she paid for a specific seat. She wrote on TikTok: 'I can support futbol culture but that does not mean disregarding the stadium's rules or jurisdiction. 'This was not a general admission event! Otherwise, tickets would have been priced THE SAME. 'Choosing to ignore assigned seating - and worse, attempting to physically intimidate or assault others out of their PAID spaces - is not only entitled, it's unlawful. 'You cannot assault your way into getting what you want just because you are not 'used to the customs set in place.' However, many fans under the woman's video did not extend any sympathy, arguing she should have been prepared for a culture clash before buying her tickets. The woman went on to accuse one fan of swearing and smoking a cigarette in the ground One fan commented: 'In South America your ticket gets you into the stands and no seat allocation as no one sits down anyway. The seats are a free for fall, if you come late. You lose out. So happy Americans are getting a taste of real football.' Another wrote: 'That's how it works in ultras sector. You should know that before you buy tickets.' A third said: 'To be fair in South America and many countries, seat allocations don't matter. You sit where there's space.' The woman shared more details of the incident in another slideshow on TikTok, where she went on to reveal that one man was also swearing at her and smoking a cigarette in the ground.
North Wales Chronicle
22 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
New plan could power Wales to top of offshore wind industry
The action plan, developed by a dedicated task group, aims to unlock long-term economic and environmental benefits by building on Wales' growing pipeline of more than 15GW of offshore wind projects in surrounding waters. The sector could deliver up to £4.8 billion for Welsh businesses and create more than 3,000 jobs. Rebecca Evans, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, said: "Last week, we welcomed the announcement that offshore wind in the Celtic Sea was moving from planning into development and delivery. "With two successful bidders announced to develop three gigawatts of clean energy, and a clear commitment from the Crown Estate to deliver the full 4.5GW, we see the start of billions of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs. "This truly is a once in a generation opportunity for our ports and will be a catalyst for economic regeneration in our coastal communities." The group recommendations include establishing a stakeholder forum by autumn 2025 to improve coordination between developers, government, and other key partners. Other proposals focus on streamlining planning and consent processes to speed up project delivery, supporting Welsh businesses to join the offshore wind supply chain, and addressing sector-specific skills gaps. Ajai Ahluwalia, head of supply chain at RenewableUK, said: "We are pleased to see clear, practical actions that respond directly to industry calls for greater certainty, stronger collaboration, and urgent delivery. "Offshore wind is one of the UK's greatest industrial opportunities — with the potential to transform Wales' heartland sectors, like steel and advanced manufacturing. "Over the next decade alone, £32 billion in economic value is at stake, including a £4.8 billion opportunity for Welsh businesses and 3,370 well-paid jobs. "To unlock that value, we must now move swiftly from planning to implementation — and industry stands ready to work with government to make it happen." The plan also emphasises the importance of skills development, calling for coordinated educational initiatives to prepare the workforce for emerging roles in wind turbine technology and high-voltage engineering. It highlights the need to integrate the Welsh steel and concrete industries into offshore wind supply chains, especially for floating wind foundations. Wales has led the way in offshore wind, hosting the UK's first fixed offshore wind projects in North Wales.
BBC News
24 minutes ago
- BBC News
'It's not normal' - how Chelsea coped with the stoppage
"This is not football."The words of Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca when asked about how the one-hour-53-minute stoppage impacted their Club World Cup last-16 tie against defenders Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo were furious when pulled off the pitch - as was Maresca - having been on course to win with only five minutes of normal time re-entering the operations and dressing room area, players took turns to cycle on exercise bikes to keep their muscles warm and did kick-ups to stay fresh at the Bank of America Stadium in explained the mood and why it impacted performance, adding: "So two hours inside - people speak with the family outside [to check] if they were good with the security. People eating, laughing, talking on their mobiles. It was two hours. That's why I said it's not football."Captain Reece James added: "It was quite disruptive when you're in the flow of the game. Lots of substitutions - trying to get warm and stay warm. It was difficult and the climate was very hot and humid."A senior Chelsea official admitted to confusion and relief around the senior staff after the match."You cannot be inside for two hours. It is something completely new," Maresca said."I can understand that for security reasons you suspend the game. But if you suspend six, seven games that means that probably is not the right place to do this competition."This is a fantastic competition. The Club World Cup is top; we are happy to be in the last eight."It's not normal to suspend a game. In a World Cup, how many games are suspended? Probably zero. In Europe, how many games? Zero."
