Manchester United CEO Acknowledges That New Stadium Investment May Affect Transfer Budget

Omar Berrada, the CEO of Manchester United, has acknowledged that the club’s plan to invest £2 billion (approximately $2.58 billion) in a new stadium poses a potential risk to their squad spending and overall competitiveness for the next five years.

Currently sitting in 14th place in the Premier League, following an eighth-place finish last season, United faces a significant challenge in balancing necessary infrastructure improvements with their ambitions on the pitch.

“That is a risk. Clearly it’s something we want to avoid,” Berrada commented to reporters on Tuesday during the launch of the conceptual designs for the new stadium.

“We don’t want to limit our capacity to invest in the team, as it’s crucial for us to remain competitive while we undertake the construction of a new stadium.”

Berrada emphasised that the club will do everything in its power to stay competitive throughout the construction period of their new 100,000-seat stadium, which will be the largest in the UK, located next to the current Old Trafford.

“There are various strategies we can employ; one of the possibilities we’re exploring is to accelerate the construction timelines so we can deliver a new stadium within five years — that is our goal.”