Revealed: Man Utd considering keeping Old Trafford AND building new stadium to stage women's and academy games

The Red Devils have already revealed plans to construct a brand new, 100,000-capacity stadium in the same area as Old Trafford. But they are considering keeping the current stadium and scaling it back, according to the Daily Mail.

Rather than bulldoze the historic ground, the club are interested in preserving the stadium and reducing its capacity from 73,000 to 30,000. It would host women's and academy matches and also be a monument to the club's home, still housing statues and the memorials to the Munich air disaster.

Building a brand new stadium is thought to cost up to £2 billion ($2.5bn). United's minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has called for the stadium to be a 'Wembley of the North' and has held discussions with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over establishing a private-public partnership, which is controversial as it would involve tax payers' money.

United, who have set up a task force including former captain Gary Neville, still need to decide whether or not to go ahead with the brand new stadium or to renovate Old Trafford, which would cost around £1bn ($1.3bn). The club have consulted 30,000 fans on the issue and opinion is split over the two options. However, it is thought that maintaining the stadium's heritage could help sway more people to approve the plans to build the brand-new arena next door.