Man Utd urged to DEMOLISH Old Trafford & build brand new £2 billion stadium by architects overseeing redevelopment, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe & Glazers warned ground has reached 'end of natural life'

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has seen his acquisition of a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils announced, pending Premier League ratification of that deal. Britain’s richest man has vowed to pump considerable funding into United, on and off the field, with much-needed improvements to club infrastructure set to form part of that project.

Supporters have been calling for upgrades at Old Trafford over several years – with the latest fan survey carried out 18 months ago - but the Glazer family ownership group have done little on that front over the course of their tenure. There are considered to be three options available to United: a small makeover, complete redevelopment of the current ground, or the construction of an entirely new one.

United have been urged to consider the most drastic of those options, with Chris Lee - chief executive of Populous, the architects overseeing the redevelopment – telling The Telegraph of the need to rip Old Trafford down and start again, despite potential costs reaching £2bn: “Yes, the initial outlay is obviously the highest of the three options but there is so much land available to develop there. They [United] could carry on using the existing ground while building work is underway, meaning no decline in matchday revenues. Architecturally, in the space available you could do something really innovative and exciting. There would be no space constrictions. We’ve done the work with Legends to look at all the feasibility options, multiple different versions of renovations of Old Trafford and also what a new build could potentially look like, all of it focused on how we can create an amazing fan experience. Manchester United are very focused on that.”

Lee added on the need to freshen up the dated venue, with redevelopment plans said to carry an £800 million ($1bn) price tag: “I believe there is a recognition within the club that something has to be done. The building is reaching the end of its natural life – the cabling, the electricity supplies, everything is nearing its sell-by date. And the interiors are very cramped and difficult in places. I would say updating is crucial not just to maintain the club’s position, but just to keep the place functional.”

United have been based at Old Trafford since 1910, with the iconic venue – which is the largest in the Premier League with a capacity of 74,310 – playing hosts to legendary players and managers such as George Best, Bobby Charlton, Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. Change is now happening off the pitch, with a loyal fanbase hoping that will deliver a reversal in fortune on it as the 2023-24 campaign threatens to become another one undermined by an alarming lack of consistency.