Ciaran Morrison

Sun 5 April 2026 7:00, UK

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Manchester United will face financial challenges with their stadium project due to soaring costs, according to Keith Wyness.

The former Everton chief executive, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, has his concerns about Man United’s plans due to the club’s debt.

Latest financial figures recorded Man United’s debt to be approaching £1.3billion, and the cost of building a new stadium will exceed £2bn.

Man United’s CEO of New Stadium Development, Collette Roche, provided an update on the project, claiming there is “lots of interest” in people and organisations wanting to invest in the stadium.

Roche put no time frame on when the build is expected to begin or when Man United could move into the new stadium.

Man United stadium costs ‘going through the roof’

Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes Roche has “been handed a real hot potato” in being tasked to lead the planning and delivery of the stadium.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks Man United’s debt is the “big issue” they need to overcome.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I felt sorry for Collette Roche, who’s the project manager in terms of the new stadium. I’ve heard many good things about Collette.

“She’s very capable, but I think she’s been handed a real hot potato with this one, with the stadium project. Just to me, the one thing that still stands out is the debt that United have right now and the debt that would be incurred.

“You start looking at the cost of things going up in terms of building supplies, transportation, all those sorts of things.

“That stadium inflation is going through the roof right now, or going through the circus top, so to speak, and it’ll go from two billion to three billion in a heartbeat. And then people will be taking a view on that as to how much Man United can actually sustain in terms of debt on top of the debt they already have.

“That’s where I think the big issue will be.”

Man United face race against time in stadium build

Former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson, speaking to Football Insider, agreed that Man United’s stadium build will cost more than £2bn.

Borson revealed that the Red Devils could pay three times more interest on the development than what they originally planned for.

Man United had ambitions to open the ground to supporters for the 2030-31 season, and they still aim to have it ready to host the 2035 Women’s World Cup final.

The move will significantly boost Man United’s matchday revenue, with the new ground set to accommodate 100,000 fans, compared to Old Trafford’s current capacity of just over 74,000.