Wednesday, 11 March 2026
MAN UTD 'COULD SCRAP' CONTROVERSIAL £200M ROOF IN NEW OLD TRAFFORD PLANS
Manchester United unveiled plans for a new stadium last March but it has now emerged that one standout feature of the proposed 'New Trafford' could now be ditched
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| Manchester United's design for their proposed new stadium could change(Image: PA) |
Manchester United's plans for their new stadium are back under the spotlight amid fresh claims that an impressive new roof which would likely cost around £200million could be ditched.
The Red Devils unveiled plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium last year after deciding to press ahead with plans to leave Old Trafford rather than renovate their current home. It's estimated the entire project would cost around £2bn, though, and updates have been thin on the ground.
A tent-like roof was the most eye-catching aspect of the new design, which was unveiled by Foster + Partners. But The Sun are reporting that the roof Sir Jim Ratcliffe likened to the Eiffel Tower 'may never come to pass'.
It's also noted that specific feature is estimated to cost around £200m alone, highlighting the huge cost of the project. Industry sources also told the publication that Foster + Partners are 'renowned for their expensiveness'.
Behind the scenes, United are understood to still be working on funding for the ambitious project. It's said that there are 'differences' between what is public and what is private in regards to the club's search for backing.
It was claimed back in November that the prospective 'New Trafford' would not receive government funding, with The i Paper saying that the Treasury would not allocate any funding for the stadium.
Ratcliffe previously outlined that any move to a world-class new stadium would not be before 2030, with the hope that work may start by the end of 2025.
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| United veiled plans for their new stadium last year(Image: PA) |
The Ineos chief has made no secret of his desire to see a 'Wembley of the north' built and stressed that any new stadium would have to be one befitting of Manchester United's stature when the plans were unveiled last March.
"The north of England has won 10 Champions League medals, London has two. But London has Wembley, Twickenham, Wimbledon and the Olympic Village," Ratcliffe said.
"The north of England deserves a stadium where England can play football, where we can hold the Champions League final, and one befitting of Manchester United's stature.
"Our current stadium has served us brilliantly for the past 115 years, but it has fallen behind the best arenas in world sport."
- Daniel Marsh
FABRIZIO ROMANO REVEALS IF ARSENAL WILL SELL ETHAN NWANERI AFTER MARSEILLE SPELL: ' I CAN GUARANTEE '
Fabrizio Romano has said that Arsenal have no plans whatsoever to sell Ethan Nwaneri in the summer after the journalist reflected on a difficult spell for the teenager with Marseille and having revealed what the immediate future holds for the 18-year-old in France.
Nwaneri joined Marseille on loan from Arsenal in the winter transfer window and is scheduled to return to the Premier League club at the end of the season.
The 18-year-old attacking midfielder was expected to be a regular for Marseille under then-manager Roberto De Zerbi.
However, De Zerbi left his managerial role at Marseille by mutual consent in February, and things have been tough for Nwaneri.
Nwaneri, who is also able to operate as a winger, has been able to make only seven appearances for Marseille during his loan spell so far, scoring one goal and providing one assist in the process.
The English gem is under contract at Arsenal until the summer of 2030, and transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Premier League club have no plans whatsoever to sell him.
Romano said on his YouTube channel about Nwaneri: “Yes, for Nwaneri it’s not an easy situation at present obviously because he went to Olympique Marseille with the expectation to work under Roberto De Zerbi, and then De Zerbi decided to leave Marseille.
“So, it’s a completely different situation. Also, the expectation was for Marseille to continue their Champions League campaign, and then they got eliminated in the final minutes of the final game.
“So, it has been different compared to the expectations for Nwaneri. But, at the moment, I can guarantee that Arsenal maintain full confidence in the player.
“So, Arsenal are waiting for him to complete the season at Olympique Marseille for this final 10, 11 games and then come back to the club, come back to Arsenal. They believe in Nwaneri 100%.
"So, the message from Arsenal is still optimistic. In the summer, they will speak to the player to understand what’s the best situation for him, whether it’s staying at Arsenal or maybe going on loan somewhere else.
"So, they will assess all the options with the player. But Arsenal maintain full trust in Ethan.
“Even if they understand it has been an unlucky loan so far at Olympique Marseille, they believe in the player, they trust the player, they trust his potential, and so nothing has changes in terms of long-term plans.”
Romano’s update on Nwaneri is in sharp contrast to a report in The Telegraph earlier this month.
The report claimed that Nwaneri is one of the players that Arsenal could sell at the end of the season.
French publication L’Equipe has reported that Marseille have no plans to make Nwaneri’s loan deal permanent.
Arsenal sent Nwaneri out on loan for the second half of the season to get some regular playing time.
That is not happening, and it will be interesting to see what Nwaneri does next season, given that he will once again not be guaranteed a place in the Arsenal starting line-up.
Latest Arsenal transfer news: Midfielder ‘talks’, Nigerian ‘superstar’ wanted
Meanwhile, sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, that Arsenal have held ‘talks’ to sign a dynamic Bundesliga midfielder, but there is interest in him from Manchester United, too.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly keen on signing a Nigerian ‘superstar’ this summer and views him as the ‘final piece of the puzzle’.
And finally, Arsenal are ready to ‘break the market’ by signing a truly world-class winger.
- Subhankar Mondal
EX-CONGO FOOTBALL CHIEF GETS LIFE SENTENCE OVER $1.1M FIFA FUNDS
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| AP Photo |
Former Republic of Congo soccer federation president Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas was convicted of embezzling $1.1 million in FIFA funds and sentenced to life in prison Tuesday, though he remains on the loose.
A Brazzaville criminal court found Mayolas guilty of money laundering, forgery, use of forged documents and misappropriation of funds. He was tried in absentia after failing to appear during the proceedings.
Mayolas’ whereabouts were not immediately known.
Several of his associates were also convicted. His son, Lionel Mayolas, received a life sentence for the same charges and was also tried in absentia. Federation secretary general Badji Mombo Wantete and treasurer Raoul Kanda were each sentenced to five years in prison for complicity in money laundering, forgery, use of forged documents and misappropriation of funds.
Prosecutors said Mayolas diverted about $1.1 million in FIFA funding intended for the country's soccer federation. The amount included a $500,000 grant for women’s soccer through FIFA’s COVID-19 relief program.
Authorities said the federation had pledged to use the money to organise women’s competitions and improve infrastructure, but those projects were never implemented.
FIFA says it audits accounts to ensure funds it distributes to member federations are spent appropriately.
Last year, FIFA suspended the federation after the Congolese government removed Mayolas from office in September 2024, citing third-party interference in the federation’s affairs.
Republic of Congo forfeited two 2026 World Cup qualifying matches during the suspension, which was lifted in May.
- Rédaction Africanews with AP
LAMINE YAMAL PENALTY RESCUES BARCELONA FROM DEFEAT AT NEWCASTLE
Lamine Yamal's penalty with the last kick of the game rescued Barcelona from defeat at Newcastle in a 1-1 Champions League last 16, first leg draw on Tuesday.
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| AFP |
Lamine Yamal's penalty with the last kick of the game rescued Barcelona from defeat at Newcastle in a 1-1 Champions League last 16, first leg draw on Tuesday. The Magpies were headed for a night to savour at St. James' Park when Harvey Barnes opened the scoring on 86 minutes. Yamal had been a peripheral figure but showed the composure of one of the world's best players from the spot after Dani Olmo was tripped by Malick Thiaw deep into stoppage time.
The Liga champions still have work to do when the sides meet again on March 18, but will leave Tyneside relieved after a sub-par performance from Hansi Flick's side.
Newcastle's bid to make the quarter-finals for the first time was dealt a blow before kick-off when Anthony Gordon was forced to start on the bench due to illness.
Only Kylian Mbappe has scored more than Gordon's 10 Champions League goals this season and the England international's threat was badly missed as Newcastle a[pplied early pressure.
Eddie Howe had billed this game as the biggest in the club's history and the desire to make amends for a FA Cup exit to Manchester City and a dissapointing Premier League season showed.
Howe made a bold choice with Gordon's replacement as William Osula came in at the expense of club record signing Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa up front.
Osula's pace troubled Barca's high defensive line early on, but Newcastle's best attempt to break the deadlock before half-time came from a corner.
Joan Garcia spilled his attempt to save Sandro Tonali's header and needed to be rescued by a goal-line clearance from Pau Cubarsi.
The home side continued to press for a breakthrough in the second period.
Anthony Elanga should have picked out Barnes for a simple finish when his low cross was cut out by Garcia.
It took nearly 70 minutes for the visitors to create a clear sight of goal when Robert Lewandowski prodded wide from Raphinha's cross.
That was Lewandowski's final act as he was replaced by Marcus Rashford, who scored twice when the sides met at St. James' Park in the League Phase.
Howe also turned to his bench in search of a winner with Gordon among those introduced.
The offside flag came to Barca's aid when Joelinton thought he had opened the scoring after Barnes struck the post.
The visitors' desire just to see the game out at 0-0 was evidenced when Ronald Araujo tried to hold up play by rolling back on the field after going down injured.
Italian referee Marco Guida refused to let the Uruguayan defender immediately back onto the field and Newcastle took full advantage as Barnes was unmarked at the back post, where Araujo should have been, to convert Jacob Murphy's cross.
Much of Newcastle's fine work was undone by one mistake as Thiaw flicked out a leg to bring down the jinking Olmo inside the box.
Yamal coolly sent Aaron Ramsdale the wrong way to leave Newcastle needing heroics in the Camp Nou next week to reach the last eight.
- Agence-France Presse
MANCHESTER UNITED DENY THEY WANT MARCUS RASHFORD RETURN
Manchester United have denied any notion that Michael Carrick or the club want Marcus Rashford back at Old Trafford at the end of the season.
Financially, a return doesn’t make sense - his wages are too high and his contract, which runs until 2028, increases as he approaches 28-years-old.
(Source: @AndyMitten)
Tuesday, 10 March 2026
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