Manchester United are considering a naming rights deal for their proposed £2bn 100,000-capacity stadium as part of a "sanity, not vanity" approach, the club's New Stadium Development chief executive Collette Roche confirmed. This comes as the club is more than £1.3bn in debt, with repayments set to rise to £50m a year following a refinancing move last month that added another $125m (£93.4m) to the amount owed. The 370-acre development is estimated to create 48,000 jobs and 15,000 new homes, with the stadium 350 yards from their current home on land acquired last month.
But off the pitch, the summer transfer window has been a massive disappointment for Manchester United. Having finished third in the Premier League under interim head coach Michael Carrick, expectations were huge, but things have not panned out that way. Andrey Santos will arrive from Chelsea in a £50m deal, though the signing is underwhelming given the elite midfielders linked earlier. United missed out on Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes to rivals, and now face another blow: Ederson's move from Atalanta, worth just over £38m, is reported to have collapsed after an underlying knee issue was discovered during his medical. However, United sources denied the transfer was off, suggesting the reports were to increase pressure to close the deal. For now, it is uncertain whether the transfer will be completed.
“Man Utd consider naming rights for £2bn stadium as debt repayments rise to £50m a year; Ederson deal in doubt.”
Meanwhile, United could receive more than £13m if Mason Greenwood completes a move away from Marseille. Fenerbahce and Atletico Madrid have both agreed deals with the French club for the forward's signature. Greenwood left United for Marseille in July 2024 for £26.6m, and the deal included a sell-on clause. United would receive €14m (£11.9m) if he goes to Turkey, or €15.7m (£13.3m) if he returns to Madrid.
Roche said the club would be speaking to designers Foster and Partners and consulting fans over the next few months, with something to share either at the end of 2026 or early 2027. "Everybody realises affordable, accessible ticket prices are really important. In order to do that, we need to generate revenue streams in other places," she said. But many supporters are concerned how United will be able to service the current debt while transfer fees and wages spiral.