Manchester United (hereafter referred to as Man U) has embarked on a new stadium project.
Man U announced the stadium plans on its official website on the 12th. Instead of renovating the existing Old Trafford, the club decided to construct a completely new stadium. This massive project will cost £2 billion (approximately 3.75 trillion won).
Opened in 1909, Old Trafford is Man U's home stadium, accommodating 76,962 spectators, and is a symbol of English football. Man U has undergone renovations eight times to date. The most recent was in 2006 with a new Director General.
Nevertheless, the current state of Old Trafford has deteriorated, with issues such as leaking rainwater and the presence of rats. After much deliberation, Man U's leadership decided to abandon the historic stadium and construct a new one.
The new stadium, 'New Trafford,' will have an enormous capacity of 100,000. Three columns, each over 200 meters tall, will support the stadium's ceiling, termed the 'circus tent.' Man U plans to play matches at the new stadium starting from the 2030-31 season.
Jim Ratcliffe, the owner of Man U, noted, "The new stadium will be more than just a football venue; it will become a new icon for Man U. It will be a global landmark like the Eiffel Tower. There are over 1 billion fans of Man U around the world, and it will be a place they definitely want to visit."
The construction of Man U's new stadium is a welcome development. However, recently, the status of Man U has plummeted. Once celebrated for having the most Premier League titles, Man U is currently positioned 14th this season.
Man U players are still basking in the glory of being a big club but are not putting in the effort and are facing the disgrace of being termed 'salary thieves.' Players like Garnacho are embroiled in controversy for failing to sign autographs for children.
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