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Manchester United appear to have hit a stumbling block in their ambitious plans to build a new £2billion stadium . Higher-ups at Old Trafford could be forced to wait until AC Milan and Inter Milan finalise their own plans to construct a 71,500-capacity ground. The clubs share a vital partner as they all seek to transform historic venues in world football. Foster + Partners is the firm behind Sir Jim Ratcliffe's vision for a 100,000-seater venue, with completion targeted for 2030 . However, the global studio specialising in sustainable architecture, urbanism, engineering and design is now commencing work on designing the new San Siro, according to the Mail Online, as quoted by the Mirror . Foster has received approval to build a new San Siro, with the existing stadium set to be demolished. This development could stretch their resources thin, with hopes that construction could finish by 2031, ready for the European championships the following year. The report indicates that Fosters held talks with Birmingham City but felt their priorities lay elsewhere. United informed their Fan Forum meeting earlier this month that they remain in partnership with Fosters, albeit with a caveat. As quoted by the Mirror , a United spokesperson said: "The club relayed it is working collaboratively with Foster+ Partners as the master planner for the wider regeneration project and that no official appointment has been made for the engineering and construction contract for the new stadium build project." The Reds remain optimistic about securing a deal to purchase land surrounding Old Trafford for the project and told the latest fans' forum meeting that 'constructive discussions' have been held with Freightliner regarding its acquisition. The additional land behind Old Trafford is deemed crucial to Lord Foster's tent design . A United spokesperson said: "Early design work has been intentionally paused until we have greater clarity on land assembly and fan requirements. "As with other aspects of the project, we encourage fans to treat speculative media reports with caution. We remain excited by the vision set out by Foster + Partners for a new stadium at the heart of a wider regeneration of the Old Trafford area. "We always said this was a conceptual design, with more detailed architectural work to follow. While we remain keen to advance as quickly as possible, the timetable is subject to progress on land assembly and financing, which depends on key stakeholders working together." United have previously conceded that they can't deliver their ambitious vision for Old Trafford alone and have been collaborating closely with the government and Trafford Council. Both the club and the city region share a goal to host significant fixtures at the stadium during the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2035. ... Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis. Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe. You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories. And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts , and you can also watch along on YouTube .
