Old Trafford set to be rebuilt by Manchester United, but with Tottenham's contacts

The architects who designed Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have been hired by Manchester United to draw up proposals for rebuilding Old Trafford.

Populous, an architectural firm, and Legends International, a management consulting business, will collaborate to expand the stadium's capacity. Both firms worked together on Tottenham's 63,000-seater stadium, which opened in 2019.

In the 1990s and 2000s, Old Trafford underwent several expansions, including the addition of extra tiers to the North, West and East Stands, almost returning the stadium to its original capacity of 80,000. 

According to United, fans will be involved in the rebuilding of the currently 74,000-capacity stadium.

"Work will begin immediately on developing options for Old Trafford and studying their feasibility, to significantly enhance the fan experience," a statement on the club's website said.

"Fans will be at the heart of the process, starting with a meeting between the consultants and the Manchester United fans' advisory board later this month."

Last month, United were reportedly considering several options for redevelopment, including demolishing Old Trafford and building a new stadium, an option considered to be less likely.

Three sides of Old Trafford - North Stand, Stretford End and Scoreboard End - have been expanded over the past three decades but the South Stand has posed a problem because it is close to a railway line.

Should a second tier to the South Stand be added, it could bring the total capacity of the Stadium to seat roughly 88,000 people.

The club also wants to upgrade their men’s, women’s and academy teams training facilities, and has hired KSS to draught designs for an "expanded, state-of-the-art facility."

With a capacity of 74,140 seats, United's Old Trafford is the largest club football stadium - and second-largest football stadium overall after Wembley Stadium - in the United Kingdom, and the eleventh-largest in Europe.

Nicknamed "The Theatre of Dreams" by Bobby Charlton, the Stadium has been United's home ground since 1910.