Manchester United will move fans from their seats behind the dugouts at Old Trafford to turn it into a lucrative VIP hospitality area next season.
The move was among a number of changes announced by the club on Monday which saw United raise the cost of season tickets by five per cent for the third year in a row, while freezing prices for Under-16s.
Chief executive Omar Berrada said: 'We understand that any price rise is unwelcome, especially during a period of underperformance on the pitch.'
Sources insist that creating premium seating in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand behind the dugouts close to the coaching staff and players has enabled them to keep price increases to a minimum.
While acknowledging that the move will be unpopular with the fans who are displaced, they say those seats are significantly underpriced at the moment.
In January, it emerged that Chelsea are selling tickets for £12,500 for a similar dugout experience at their final two home games of the season against Liverpool and United.
It's understood United will not charge that much, but the club confirmed: 'Some of the general admission tickets directly adjacent to the home and away dugouts will be converted to hospitality seats, reflecting the high value of this unique location.
'We appreciate the disruption this will cause those fans who currently sit there and we will be contacting them individually to ensure a suitable alternative seat is found.'
It was among the concerns raised by the Manchester United Supporters' Trust after Monday's announcement which included pricing premium games at a higher level for non-season ticket holders.
MUST, who said they are disappointed United ignored calls for a price freeze, also questioned the decision to impose a £10 charge on fans selling their tickets back to the club less than two weeks before the game.