Manchester United are considering increasing the capacity of Old Trafford to 80,000 with the option to then add another 8,000 seats should they wish.
It has been a decade since Old Trafford last underwent expansion, when the club increased the number of seats from 68,000 to 76,000 in a development that cost £42 million.
Andy Mitten, writing for ESPN, said the capacity could, potentially, increase from 80,000 to 88,000 should the club decide to follow the same plans as from ten years ago.
The initial expansion to 80,000 will create the same type of quadrants that were filled in ten years ago.
The reason behind the expansion could be explained by new league regulations, that the club must comply with by August 2017, that will see the overall capacity decrease by around 3,000 to make room for an increased disabled section.
It is still unknown how much the new plans will cost United but with several Premier League clubs moving, or upgrading, their homes in the coming years, this could be the Glazers’ way of stepping up the arms race.
United are currently sitting sixth in the table, a point behind Man City in fourth and level with West Ham in fifth, and will be hoping that, regardless of capacity, the stadium will be hosting Champions League football in the seasons to come.
Should the plans go ahead and the capacity reaches 88,000 Old Trafford will become the second biggest club ground in Europe – behind only the Nou Camp in Barcelona that sits 99,000.
The additional 7,500 seats are planned to be built in the Sir Bobby Charlton stand.
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