Manchester United secure 25-acre site to advance £2bn Old Trafford replacement

Manchester United have acquired the majority of the land required to build their proposed 100,000-seat stadium, purchasing a 25-acre triangular site approximately 350 metres from Old Trafford for what the club describes as market value.

The land, situated between Wharfside Way, Europa Way and John Gilbert Way in Trafford, was bought from Indurent — a provider of industrial space and a Blackstone portfolio firm — rather than from Freightliner, which also owns nearby land. United say they are confident of securing the remaining parcels needed to proceed with the £2bn project, which was introduced by co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

CEO Collette Roche called the acquisition “a significant milestone” in the club’s development timeline. “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. “This is a generational opportunity that is fully aligned with both local and national growth ambitions.”

The stadium project sits within a broader 370-acre regeneration scheme developed alongside Trafford Council and the Old Trafford Regeneration Mayoral Development Corporation. That wider plan is forecast to deliver around 15,000 new homes — including affordable housing — create more than 90,000 jobs nationally (48,000 in the Manchester area), and contribute over £7bn annually to the British economy.

United insist the chosen plot supports the area’s regeneration goals as well as the club’s ambition to operate the largest stadium in the United Kingdom. A formal public consultation period is scheduled to begin on 9 July, with the club committing to engage supporters throughout the process.