Manchester United’s highly ambitious plan to construct a 100,000-seat stadium next to Old Trafford, dubbed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe as “the Wembley of the North”, has hit a significant delay, according to The Guardian.
The project, part of the broader Old Trafford Regeneration initiative, hinges on acquiring land currently used as a rail freight terminal operated by Freightliner.
Negotiations over the land’s price have reached an impasse, with Freightliner’s parent company, Brookfield, demanding around £400 million—far above Manchester United’s valuation of £40-50 million.
Although Freightliner has indicated willingness to relocate to a new site in St Helens, the company is not under immediate pressure to do so, giving them considerable leverage.
A source close to the negotiations revealed that Freightliner “have United over a barrel,” highlighting the challenging bargaining position for the club.
United’s plans to begin preparatory work by late 2025 and complete the stadium by 2030 are now uncertain, pending resolution of the land dispute.
Without access to the Freightliner site, the start of the stadium project faces further delays, jeopardizing the timeline set out in designs by Foster + Partners.
