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Land Price Stalemate Delays Manchester United’s 100,000-Seat Stadium

The club is considering higher bids, phased land purchases or a compulsory purchase order to resolve Freightliner’s valuation impasse.

Overview

  • The £400m price Freightliner demands for its rail terminal land contrasts sharply with Manchester United’s £40m–£50m valuation for the site needed for the Old Trafford Regeneration Project.
  • The deadlock has halted preparatory work and put the club’s five-year construction schedule and 2030 completion target at risk.
  • United executives are weighing strategies such as boosting their offer, acquiring the land in stages or scaling back the development footprint to sidestep the disputed parcel.
  • The club could enlist the Old Trafford Mayoral Development Corporation to pursue a compulsory purchase order if direct negotiations fail.
  • The wider £4.2bn regeneration scheme is designed to include a new 100,000-seat arena alongside 17,000 homes, support 92,000 jobs and generate roughly £7.3bn in annual economic benefits.