Manchester United are yet to make any concrete progress on their plans to build a new stadium to replace Old Trafford.
It has now been half a year since Manchester United revealed plans to build a 100,000-seater stadium, and no visible progress has been made.
The new stadium is expected to cost £2bn and Ineos plan for construction to be complete by 2030.
United are being quoted £400m for a land purchase before they get started on the project, and it seems as though everything has gone silent while that deal is being negotiated.
But stadium architect Norman Foster has recently spoken about the project which suggests everything is still on track.
Norman Foster speaks on Man United stadium update
When the plans were first announced, Foster was heavily involved in the unveiling of the project, and it was him who explained the 2030 deadline.
“Normally a stadium would take 10 years to build. We halved that time, five years,” Foster said. “How do we do that? By prefabrication. By using the network of Manchester ship canal, bringing it back to a new life.”
Now, speaking to Sky News, Foster reaffirmed his passion for the project.
“The fan base is incredible,” Foster said. “It’s a galvanising project… and so many things can naturally ride on the back of that sporting, emblematic kind of team.”
When asked whether it will feel unlike any other British stadium, he said: “Manchester United is different and therefore its stadium’s going to be different… and better, of course.”
Man United stadium construction to begin this year
By now, the bold design of United’s new stadium is well known, but fans will want to know when progress will be made.
Initial reports suggested that work will begin on the stadium this year, but there are a few hurdles left for Ineos to jump before that becomes reality.
There are two glaring issues – the first is that United still don’t own the necessary land and remain in talks with Freightliner to figure out a solution.
READ MORE: £1.25bn stadium ‘chaos’ must act as a warning for Ineos and 100,000-seater Man United project
Once that is sorted, construction on the stadium can begin, but there is still the looming question of how it will be funded.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
