Manchester United owners INEOS look set to go back on their decision regarding Old Trafford
Old Trafford remains the biggest club stadium in England(Image credit: Getty Images)
The future of Manchester United's stadium, Old Trafford, has been at the centre of widespread debates since the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS' arrival at the start of 2024.
The historic ground has regularly come under fire over recent years due to the state of disrepair it now finds itself in following years of neglect under the Glazer family ownership.
The key debates have revolved around redeveloping Old Trafford or building a new stadium entirely, with reports widely suggesting that a new stadium is favoured by the new regime.
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Plans to build a new stadium also featured the idea to downscale Old Trafford to be turned into a stadium for the women's team and the academy, as seen at Manchester City's impressive Etihad complex.
This idea was met with widespread approval from fans, particularly those of the women's team who currently have to travel to Leigh Sports Village for home matches - a rugby stadium located on the outskirts of Manchester near Warrington.
Such a move would also see a historic British landmark left standing, ensuring the conservation of a place held dear in fans' hearts.
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Old Trafford in the 1950s (Image credit: Getty Images)
However, according to the Daily Mail, INEOS are now set to go back on these plans after deeming the idea of downscaling unrealistic should they opt to build a brand new stadium for the men's side.
Club officials believe the reduction would act as a secondary project on top of the estimated £2 billion outlay required to fund the new build.
This comes as yet another blow to the club's women's side, who have already been forced out of their own training facilities to accommodate redevelopments on the men's side of Carrington, as well as a host of key players departing over the summer.
James Ridge is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He recently spent time with The United Stand as an online news editor and has covered the beautiful game from England’s eighth tier all the way to the Premier League.
