United want a $240million-rated player while their Old Trafford is falling apart

The truth is impossible to hide when there are millions of people keeping their eyes on you. And whichever way you try to paint the picture in the media, you will be found out. It's what the Glazer family should understand. The Manchester United owners are guilty of treating the fans and the club itself with contempt and no vision. It's no joke – their stadium is slowly crumbling because of utter neglect.

Old Trafford may be dripping with history – but for one home game last season, it was literally dripping and leaking from the roof due to a combination of a drainage problem and the infamous Manchester weather.

To those who demand change – and there are many – it was a visual representation of a creaking stadium. The state of concourses is a common complaint, as well as catering facilities. But, for supporters fiercely critical of the Glazers' perceived lack of investment in the stadium, that logic is an unsatisfactory reason for the stasis.

Manchester United fans protesting against the Glazer ownership of the club (©AFP)

Manchester United's Theatre of Dreams is one of the game's best-known arenas, but it's been showing its age for a long time now. With 74,140 seats, it may still have the largest capacity in the country, but it's looking more and more outdated with every passing year.

Since the most recent expansion of Old Trafford in 2006, Arsenal have moved to the Emirates, West Ham United moved to the new London Stadium, and Spurs build their new state-of-the-art arena. In the meantime, Liverpool's Anfield got a new main stand, while Chelsea and Manchester City poured money into keeping their homes modern and functional.

And Manchester United? They slept through it all.

Apart from the very basic housekeeping, the 111-year-old venue hasn't seen the kind of investment that's necessary to keep the stadium at a satisfactory standard. The problems are surfacing – and quickly.

In April 2019, a torrential rain before the Manchester Derby led to part of the roof giving way and water pouring onto the seats below. Back in 2012, with the stadium hosting the Olympic Games football tournament, a downpour during a game between Spain and Morocco exposed several leaks.

It gets even more embarrassing for the club that dominated the Premier League since its conception in the early 1990s. Rodents are infesting the stadium! Mice have been spotted on the pitch repeatedly. Then, in January 2015, there was an invasion that spilt over into the offices as well.

This mouse was photographed on the Old Trafford pitch in 2016. The problem is still there (©Gallo Images)

What is the club's solution to the ever-increasing problems with their home ground? Throw money at over-priced players, of course.

Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer has had his own share of mistakes since he'd taken over the Red Devils, but you couldn't blame him for wanting to have Erling Haaland leading his attack. Of course, every coach and every team would welcome the Norwegian goal sensation with open arms. But in the days when Borussia Dortmund seem determined to keep their prized asset unless they receive a ridiculous $240million transfer fee, shouldn't Manchester United executives get their priorities straight?

United boast the highest matchday income in England – primarily thanks to the superior capacity. But matchday experience is not brilliant at their home arena. The seats are crammed closer than on any other Premier League stadium. There is rust visible on most railings and stairs. There is no big screen available. The catering facilities are outdated compared to those in new London stadiums. Rather than using a part of the income of more than $4million for every home match for making upgrades and improvements in their house, the Glazers are allowing Old Trafford's state to deteriorate further.

The critical issue facing development to the south is limited space to expand, which presents complicated engineering and logistical challenges. Directly behind the existing South Stand is an important railway line that needs to be bridged without any disruption to transport. Beyond that, a street of houses may need to be bought and cleared to provide sufficient space to expand outwards.

Some estimates for the redevelopment of the South Stand have been quoted a potentially costing between $1bn and $1.4bn. By comparison, Tottenham have built an entirely new stadium, with a capacity of around 62,000 seats, for roughly the same expenditure. However, any such alternative option of moving to a new venue for Manchester United is off the table.

Given the scale of the work required to expand Old Trafford further, the combination of engineering and logistical problems to be overcome, not to mention the substantial economic investment required, it's difficult to imagine such a project getting the green light any time soon. According to the club, the expansion is expected to happen one day, but it could be another decade before expectations become a reality.

So, the limbo remains. Expanding the stadium may prove too costly, but failing to maintain and at least modernise what you've already got is simply inexcusable. Erling Haaland wouldn't help to keep Old Trafford standing – even if he scored many goals.