Manchester United\u2019s ambitious plans to build a new 100,000-seater stadium has been called into question by a football finance expert.<\/strong><\/p>\n Fans were left drooling after images surfaced showing what the \u00a32billion state-of-the-art arena could look like upon completion.<\/p>\n 4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> Last February, the club\u2019s minority shareholders, fronted by Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe<\/a>, put forward plans to build a new stadium<\/a> close to Old Trafford under the tagline \u2018Wembley of the North.\u2019<\/p>\n Since then, plans have gathered momentum with Ratcliffe having created a taskforce consisting of former captain Gary Neville<\/a>, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and Trafford Council leader Sara Todd.<\/p>\n This week, it was revealed that the plans had crucially gained unanimous support from Trafford Council officers.<\/p>\n Officials say the plans are likely to provide over 90,000 jobs, 15,000 new homes and \u00a37.3bn to the economy with a final decision on the plans expected by the end of the season.<\/p>\n But despite the optimism currently surrounding the project, football finance expert Stefan Borson has expressed his concerns over whether the club has the means to deliver such plans.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a question around the funding of it,\u201d Borson told talkSPORT\u2019s YouTube show titled ‘How Football Works’<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s all very well talking about Ineos but they are only a 20 per cent shareholder in Manchester United<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThey are not going to put a whole load of money in unless it dilutes the shares of the Glazers.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cIt\u2019s not clear yet whether the Glazers are going to be prepared to accept equity investment into Manchester United to then invest in the stadium that will then dilute the Glazers or whether it\u2019s going to have to be even more debt.<\/p>\n \u201cRemember Manchester United has considerable debt already, so to layer on top of it \u2013 potentially \u00a33bn and it\u2019s not clear it can be done on this very tight \u00a32bn budget.<\/p>\n 4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> 4<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> \u201cIs it possible United can get funding as an organisation for that amount of money? I think it’s going to be a challenge.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s still big issues regarding the funding of the infrastructure build above and beyond the government intervention which I think will be an assist but not the complete answer.\u201d<\/p>\n Chancellor Rachel Reeves this week revealed that she will champion the regeneration project proposed by Man United’s stadium task force.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Mayor Burnham has compared the ambitious proposals to that of the London 2012 Olympics.<\/p>\n \u201cWith our devolved powers we\u2019re mobilising the whole Greater Manchester system to lock in growth for the next decade and reap the rewards for our city-region and UK plc,\u201d said Burnham.<\/p>\n \u201cThe project around Old Trafford represents the biggest opportunity for urban regeneration this country has seen since London 2012 and is a key part of our 10-year plan to turbocharge growth across Greater Manchester.<\/p>\n![\"Ai](\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/01\/man-united.jpg?strip=all&w=806\")
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