MANCHESTER UNITED are working on three stadium expansion options

MANCHESTER UNITED are working on three expansion options for the stadium, with a final decision expected next year.

The Red Devils are assessing two different plans to build a new 100,000-seat venue – and a third option to expand Old Trafford from its current capacity of 74,310 to 87,000.

Both plans for a new site are in virtually the same location, but with slightly different footprints.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe's preferred option is to build a 100,000-seat stadium on nearby land used by a rail freight company.

Architects Foster & Partner have also drawn up plans for a new 100,000 capacity ground on land behind Stretford End.

This option could involve cutting off the Stretford End to complete construction, meaning some fans would be temporarily unable to attend matches, but club officials are exploring options to avoid this.

Sir Jim and club officials are also exploring a plan to expand and renovate Old Trafford.

The plans would focus on the redevelopment of the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, also known as the South Stand, but could also include a standby stand extension and a new roof.

This option would also mean that some fans would have to miss matches during construction.

SunSport has approached Man Utd for comment.

The club is confident they have the demand to sell season tickets to fill a stadium of 100,000.

Club officials told a recent Old Trafford Regeneration meeting that 177,000 fans are on the waiting list for season tickets.

The club currently sells 50,000 season tickets annually.

All three options would benefit from building and opening a new train station close to the ground to help fans reach the stadium.

It is believed that once an option is chosen, a lengthy 'design consultation' is likely to take place, lasting up to two years before construction work begins.

This means that construction on the stadium is unlikely to begin until the end of the 2027/2028 season, while the new stadium is unlikely to be completed before 2032.

The project could cost £2 billion and financing could prove an issue, with Ratcliffe himself reportedly worth just £12 billion – and that was before he bought United.

But increased capacity and better hospitality packages will see matchday revenues rise sharply, with some estimates predicting a rise from £136m to £200m per year.

New shops and restaurants would also likely have to pay rent to the club, while United could even own the shops outright, meaning they would have a steady source of income from the site even when no games are being played.

In March, Ratcliffe spoke of designing a “Wembley of the North”.

He told the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club podcast: “You have this opportunity if you choose to build a completely new terrain, because we have enough space.

“If you were to build a completely new ground it would be absolutely state-of-the-art, world-class, 90,000 or maybe even 100,000, which would then provide a platform for some of the major competitions in the North of England.

“Why is England always playing in the south? Why is the FA Cup final always in the south? Why can't the Champions League final be in the north every now and then?

“Football in the North is just as important as it is in the South, if not more so, and people in the North pay their taxes, so why do we have Wembley, Twickenham, Wimbledon etc in the South?

“What do we have in the North? There is a strong argument for building a 'Wembley of the North'.”