Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to build new Man Utd stadium ‘for the north’ as new chief takes aim at ‘tired’ Old Trafford
SIR JIM RATCLIFFE has admitted that he is keen to build a new ground and move Manchester United out of the “tired” Old Trafford.
The British billionaire believes that a new stadium could “serve the north of England”.
Ratcliffe, 71, has insisted that Old Trafford has become “tired” and in need of “refurbishment”.
However his “preference” is to build a new stadium for the Red Devils.
He said: “It’s about time someone built a national stadium in the north of England.
“If it can be achieved, it would clearly be my preference.
“I would be very excited for the north of England.”
Ratcliffe has finally completed his deal to buy 27.7 per cent of Manchester United.
He also suggested that a new ground could be able host England and other high-profile matches.
This would include FA Cup semi-finals and the Champions League final.
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Ratcliffe suggested that there had been a “significant bias” to “major investments being in the south” of the country.
Old Trafford last hosted a Champions League final in 2003 as AC Milan beat Juventus on penalties.
Ratcliffe has suggested that refurbishing Old Trafford into an 80-90,000 seater would “not be perfect” due to its age.
He said: “Trafford Park is where the industrial revolution began. If you look at that region of Manchester today – only a mile from the centre – it is tired and neglected and parts are quite run down.
“There is quite a big argument, in my view, for regenerating that whole south side of Manchester.
“The nucleus of it would be building a new world-class state-of-the-art stadium which could take England games, the FA Cup final, Champions League finals.
“It could serve the north of England.
“There is a bias in the UK in terms of where national stadiums have been built – they are all in the south.
“There is a lot of talk about levelling up. HS2 has been cancelled and all that is going to be spent on the rail network in London.
“The people in the north pay their taxes just as the people in the south.
“Why shouldn’t there be a venue in the north of England for England to play at?
“Why does everyone in the north have to go to the south for the semi-finals of the FA Cup?”
Ratcliffe has spoken on a number of topics in which he also admitted that the door is not closed for Mason Greenwood to return to the club.
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