How INEOS can secure key £250m deal for new Man Utd stadium if they overcome one obstacle

Manchester United are looking to build a new stadium, but the plans remain at an early stage, with funding being a major part of the reason for the delay.

Negotiations continue over the purchase of land next to Old Trafford, and planning permission cannot be granted until an agreement is reached, leaving progress stalled for now.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire told United in Focus that INEOS may need to compromise on their original vision, reducing the capacity from a 100,000-seat plan and ditching the canopy design.

Even so, a creative funding approach could help ease financial pressure on the £2bn project, and one of the options could be a lucrative stadium naming rights deal. 

The potential value of Old Trafford naming rights deal

Maguire told United in Focus that United could comfortably command around £250 million for a long-term sponsorship agreement spanning eight to ten years. 

Such a deal would give INEOS a valuable source of investment without further borrowing or selling shares, but the timing remains the major challenge. 

If stadium construction begins in 2026 and completes around 2030, sponsors may hesitate to pay upfront without immediate visibility or naming exposure, leaving a funding gap during the build phase.

Balancing Old Trafford's heritage with commercial reality

Old Trafford is one of football’s most iconic venues, and its name is woven deeply into Manchester United’s identity. 

Attaching a sponsor’s name to the new ground could risk alienating long-time supporters who value tradition over modern marketing.

Still, with a £2bn price tag and debt already high, INEOS may see naming rights as a practical necessity, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe has previously hinted at new global partnerships, with Apple and Coca-Cola among potential collaborators.

FGG Says

INEOS find themselves walking a tightrope between ambition and authenticity. A naming rights deal could unlock vital cash flow, but mismanaging it might inflame a fanbase already protective of the club’s traditions.

Handled correctly, however, it could become a smart compromise, a way to future-proof United financially while maintaining emotional ties to the past.