MANCHESTER UNITED are hopeful of acquiring more land to accelerate plans to build a new stadium.
United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe revealed plans to build a new 100,000 all-seater stadium in March, targeting an opening date of 2030.
Mancunian architect Lord Norman Foster designed a canopy that would be visible from 25 miles away, with Ratcliffe likening its distinctness to the Eiffel Tower.
However, United do not own all of the land around Old Trafford where they intend to build their new stadium.
SunSport revealed last week that some of the land is linked to a Marseille-based billionaire with links to Turki Alalshikh, the Saudi Arabian government official who claimed United were in talks about a Middle Eastern takeover.
At the club’s fans’ forum that was held last week, United provided an update on their discussions to acquire more land around their 115-year-old stadium.
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The club said: “While Manchester United owns a significant portion of land around Old Trafford, it is not all in a single, continuous block.
“To accommodate the scale of the proposed new stadium – including a canopy – and to avoid disruption to the existing stadium during construction, we are working to secure additional land.
“We’ve been engaged in constructive discussions with neighbouring landholders and are optimistic about reaching mutually agreeable terms in the coming months.”
Another plot of neighbouring land is owned by truck company Freightliner.
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United have offered £50million for the plot but Freightliner are demanding a whopping £400m, according to the Daily Mail.
The massive difference in valuations risks giving Ratcliffe a headache and delaying United’s project.
But things are looking up.
It’s said that United chiefs have held positive talks with Freightliner and an agreement is expected to be reached in a matter of months.
The government have the power to intervene and set a fair price through a compulsory purchase order – but it would be quicker and easier for United to strike a deal privately.
Funding for the lucrative project remains a sticking point.
United are hoping to use government cash for the wider infrastructure of a development which will also include 17,000 homes.
But Old Trafford chiefs will need to source their own funding for the stadium itself.
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