Manchester United have taken a major step towards building a 100,000-capacity stadium after securing a 25-acre triangular plot of land roughly 350 metres north-west of their current home at Old Trafford.
The club announced they have acquired the site — positioned between Wharfside Way, Europa Way and John Gilbert Way — from Indurent, a leading provider of industrial space and a Blackstone portfolio company. The move clears a significant hurdle more than a year after minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiled his grand vision in London in March 2025, a plan some sceptics dismissed as a “circus tent”.
“Manchester United have bought a 25-acre plot near Old Trafford for a new 100,000-seat stadium.”
Negotiations for a separate plot behind the Stretford End had stalled after a year of talks with Freightliner, prompting United to explore alternatives. Design work on the stadium had been put on hold during those discussions, but can now resume in earnest, with renowned architects Foster + Partners set to lead the creative vision.
Collette Roche, Manchester United’s new stadium development chief executive, called the acquisition a “significant milestone”. “Being able to build so close to Old Trafford allows us to preserve the heritage, traditions and rituals that are so important to our fans,” she said. “We are committed to building a world-class stadium with our supporters, not just for them, with atmosphere, affordability and accessibility at the heart of our thinking.”
United have refused to say how much the land cost, or where the money came from. The club confirmed on 12 June they had secured $550m (£415.35m) of funding to settle $425m (£320.95m) worth of bonds due to expire in June 2027, though it is not known whether any of that capital was used in this transaction.
The announcement came on the day Andy Burnham, one of the key architects of the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation (MDC) — the body tasked with the transformation — was sworn in as an MP, stepping down as Greater Manchester Mayor. Multiple sources have told BBC Sport only the government can alter the multi-billion pound masterplan, regardless of who succeeds Burnham as mayor.
The MDC is set to unveil the broader masterplan for the Old Trafford regeneration project, along with details of the formal consultation period, on 9 July. Businesses affected by the proposals will be engaged directly by United, and supporters will continue to be consulted throughout the stadium design phase.
United now hold the majority of the land required for the project and will press ahead with securing the remaining plots, which is not anticipated to pose significant difficulties. Plans and costings for the ground are yet to be agreed, and negotiations will be needed with some existing leaseholders in the affected area.