Ineos warned they could cause ‘outcry’ with plan to fund new Man Utd stadium

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Manchester United have been sitting on plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium but Ineos are yet to source funding for the project.

Since the reveal of concept images of a 100,000-seater stadium in March, news around Manchester United’s new home has been fairly slow.

Ineos remain locked in a £400m negotiation for land purchase around Old Trafford which is integral to starting the project for the new stadium.

The stadium is expected to cost £2bn, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe stands by the expected timeline of 2030, despite construction not yet being underway.

Ineos warned against public funding for new stadium

Despite the initial estimations, United have been told the new stadium could cost up to £4.2bn, and there are yet to be any announcements around how that figure is funded.

One of the many options for Ineos is to strike a naming rights deal for the stadium to cover some of the costs, but another route is to seek public funding – not for the stadium itself but for much of the surrounding area.

However, journalist Chris Wheeler has warned that United seeking public funding could trigger backlash.

Speaking on The United Stand, Wheeler said: “The black and white of it is that they would be looking for public funding for the wider area and they would get private funding to build the new Old Trafford.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily that cut and dry, they might still have some lingering hope that they can get some public funding for the stadium itself.

“They might have to, to get it over the line, that’s where we’re at. I don’t know whether the club might try, they have to be careful because it would cause an outcry if they were seen to get public funding for something that would only make them money.

“I wouldn’t rule out the club trying to secure at least some public funding for the new stadium. It’s a minimum £2bn, the 2030 completion date is wildly optimistic and that’s where we’re at right now.”

New Man United stadium could face delays

While United are preparing to get their new stadium project underway, Barcelona have faced chaotic delays to their project at Camp Nou, and that should serve as a warning to Ineos and their plans.

A 2030 deadline for what is a huge project seems extremely ambitious, and Ratcliffe has been warned about the timeline being too optimistic.

READ MORE: Abandoned 90,000-seater project inspired Man United’s £2bn stadium design

While fans were initially told that work on the new stadium could begin this year, we are now in mid-October and it seems the start of construction is still a while away.

The top priority will be to secure funding, both private and public, before finalising a design and starting work.