Manchester United appoint Tottenham Hotspur stadium architects for Old Trafford renovations and fans will be ‘at the heart of the process’

Manchester United have set the wheels in motion for the redevelopment of Old Trafford, naming the architects of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium and declaring fan involvement.

A statement from the club said work will “begin immediately” as they begin to establish their options for the Dream Theatre.

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The main contractors were selected in the form of architectural firm Populous and management consultants Legends International, who both worked on Spurs’ state-of-the-art 63,000-seater stadium.

A revamp of Old Trafford has long been mooted, with the 74,000 capacity arena lagging behind Tottenham and Arsenal, with claims the state of the stadium has put off even potential buyers.

Now, however, the club’s owners have taken action saying they plan to “significantly improve the fan experience”.

A statement on the club’s official website read: “Manchester United have appointed a team of leading consultants to begin work on creating a master plan for the redevelopment of Old Trafford.

“The team will be led by Legends International and Populous, who both have a wealth of experience developing stadiums around the world.

“Work will begin immediately on developing options for Old Trafford and investigating their feasibility, with the aim of significantly improving the fan experience.

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“Fans will be at the heart of the process, starting with a meeting between the consultants and the Manchester United Fan Advisory Council later this month.

“A similar process is already underway in relation to the club’s training facilities, with KSS appointed to develop a master plan for an expanded, state-of-the-art facility for the men’s, women’s and Academy teams.”

Old Trafford has seen a number of expansions during the Premier League era, securing its place as the largest ground in English club football.

However, the South Stand posed a problem due to its proximity to a train station, and there were even reports that United were considering a full rebuild as recently as March.

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