Manchester United have secured most of the land required to build their proposed 100,000-capacity stadium, marking a significant milestone in the club’s redevelopment plans.
The Premier League club announced on Monday that it had acquired a 25-acre (10-hectare) site located about 350 metres northwest of Old Trafford, its current home.
The acquisition clears a major hurdle in United’s ambition to construct what would become Britain’s largest sporting stadium, as the newly secured site means land owned by Freightliner will no longer be needed. The nearby freight terminal had previously posed a challenge to the project.
Chief executive of the new stadium development, Collette Roche, described the land purchase as a major step towards delivering a world-class home for the club.
She said building the stadium close to Old Trafford would preserve the heritage, traditions and matchday experience that supporters value, while providing a modern venue fit for the future.
Manchester United unveiled plans for the estimated £2 billion ($2.6 billion) stadium in 2025.
The proposed arena forms the centrepiece of a wider 370-acre regeneration project expected to deliver 15,000 new homes, create 48,000 local jobs and support about 90,000 jobs nationwide.
A master plan for the Old Trafford regeneration scheme is due to be unveiled on July 9.
United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe has previously described rebuilding Old Trafford as a “no-brainer” following his investment in the club in 2024.
Manchester United have played at the 74,000-capacity Old Trafford for 115 years, but the historic stadium has deteriorated in recent years, prompting calls for a new state-of-the-art home.