Manchester United unveils hugely ambitious plans for a new stadium and "a miniature city of the future"

Manchester United might not be going through their best moments, both sporting and financially, but they have high ambitions for the future, and want to build the world's best football stadium. And today they have shocked the world of football by showing plans and concept images for their new stadium, which has been designed by the firm Foster + Partners by architectural legend Lord Norman Foster, who describes it as "one of the most exciting projects in the world today".

The "New" Old Trafford would be a 100,000 seats stadium, which would make it one of the largest in the world, that would regenerate the area around it, turning it into sustainable and walkable district, served by public transport and filled with nature. It would be contained under a vast umbrella inspired by the Red Devil's trident, "harvesting energy and rainwater, and sheltering a new public plaza that is twice the size of Trafalgar Square". Foster even describes it as a "miniature city of the future".

However, these aren't fixed plans. There are a lot of conditionals in the public announcement ("If we get this right, the regeneration impact could be bigger and better than London 2012", said Andy Burnham, mayor of Greater Manchester. This is solely the work of Foster + Partners, and is seen as and exploratory work, "the masterplan for more detailed feasibility, consultation, design and planning work as the project enters a new phase" that will include further consultation with fans and residents, and it's now responsibility of Manchester United, which is in debt and plans to fire 200 workers this year.