Manchester United are moving closer to a monumental infrastructure shift as the club prepares to submit planning applications for a new world-class stadium. The ambitious project, spearheaded by INEOS, aims to transform the Trafford area into a premier sporting destination.The Red Devils are officially counting down to a transformative period in the club's history. After unveiling the vision for a £2bn home March last year, the administrative machinery is now in motion to turn Sir Jim Ratcliffe's ambitious 'Wembley of the North' into a reality. The club aims to finalise land assembly and structural partnerships before formalizing the project with local authorities.Significant logistical hurdles remain, specifically regarding a nearby freight terminal that currently occupies land essential for the new footprint. However, club officials are confident that these "milestones" are within reach, paving the way for a design phase that will define the aesthetic of the Premier League's most expensive stadium project.Collette Roche, chief executive officer of the New Stadium Development project, provided clarity on the immediate steps during a trade show in Cannes. She emphasized that the club is currently focusing on securing the site and the right personnel to manage such a massive undertaking."The plan would be that within the next couple of months we should be there or thereabouts on the land assembly which will be an important milestone," Roche explained as quoted by The Mirror. "We’re spending a lot of time with local council to say what’s your ambition, how many houses, where’s the best place to put them so hopefully by the time we get to the planning application in 12-18 months time we won’t be starting from fresh."We are going through a process to make sure we get the best team in place, one that works in the same way we work and is up for the challenge and the ambition. And then we will lock that in. Then we start to build the plans. It starts now."Ratcliffe has been vocal about his desire to create a venue that reflects the North West's historical dominance in the sport. He believes the region, which has seen its clubs win 10 Champions League titles compared to London’s two, deserves a stadium of national significance that doesn't require fans to travel south for major events."There's a very good case, in my view, for having a stadium of the North, which would serve the northern part of the country in that arena of football," Ratcliffe previously stated. "If you look at the number of Champions League the North West has won, it's 10. London has won two. And yet everybody from the North has to get down to London to watch a big football match. And there should be one [a large stadium] in the North, in my view."Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingWhile United's top brass continues to work on their dream stadium, on the pitch, Michael Carrick's men will continue to fight to maintain their Premier League position. The Red Devils currently sit third in the table with 54 points from 30 matches, seven points behind second-placed Manchester City. United's next match is against Bournemouth on Friday.