London – Manchester United announced the plans on Tuesday to build the world’s “largest” football stadium.
A 100,000 -square -proposed sand would exceed Wembley as the largest in the United Kingdom.
According to the plans, the English champion said that he would be built next to his iconic Old Trafford land, which probably means that he would not need to be relocated during the construction process.
“Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the last 115 years, but it has been left behind the best sands of world sport.” Owner of part Jim Ratcliffe saying. “By building next to the existing site, we can preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly generation stadium that transforms the experience of fans only the steps of our historical home.”
United did not say how much it would cost or reveal a schedule for its completion, but the architect Norman Foster said the construction work would take five years.
The British billionaire Ratcliffe paid $ 1.3 billion for an initial participation of 25% in United last year and made a new stadium one of its priorities.
The possibility of rebuilding Old Trafford, one of the most emblematic football stadiums, but a completely new construction was the preferred option was considered.
“Today marks the beginning of an incredibly exciting trip to the delivery of what will be the best football stadium in the world,” said Ratcliffe.
United wants the place to be part of a broader project to regenerate the surrounding area of Old Trafford, which, according to 7.3 billion pounds ($ 9.4 billion) to the United Kingdom economy. The United Kingdom government has already expressed its support for the project, although the details of how it would be financed are not known.
Wembley is currently the largest stadium in the United Kingdom, with a capacity of 90,000, and is home to the National Soccer team in England.
Twickenham, which is home to the national rugby team, has 82,500.
Old Trafford is the largest dedicated football stadium with a capacity of just over 74,000, but is dated compared to the tastes of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, which regularly houses NFL games.
“Our long -term goal as a club is to have the best soccer team in the world playing in the best stadium in the world,” said United Executive President Omar Berrada.
The great manager Alex Ferguson said the club “must be brave and take this opportunity to build a new home, suitable for the future, where you can make a new story.”
The announcement came days later Thousands of United fans marched in protest Against the club’s property in the face of cost cuts, the increase in the price of the ticket and the continuous failure in the field.
United is owned by the American Glazer family, which also owns the NFL tampa bay buy.
When investing, Ratcliffe promised to return the club once dominant to the European football summit after more than a decade since the last time he won the Premier League.
But his first year in charge of football operations has been turbulent. United endured his worst season of the Premier League last year and is ongoing to establish a new one under this term, with the team currently languishing in the lower half of the classification.
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James Robson is in https://twitter.com/jamesalanroBson
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