Sir Jim Ratcliffe has enlisted Gary Neville’s support in his efforts to upgrade Manchester United’s facilities, whether through renovations at Old Trafford or the construction of a new stadium.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe has extended an invitation to Gary Neville to join a special committee that will supervise the revitalization of Old Trafford and its environs.
Enhancing their infrastructure is at the top of the new Manchester United part-owner’s list of priorities, and he has already started to make a significant influence. Neville has previously discussed the position in multiple meetings with United’s chief operations officer, Collette Roche.
Co-owner of Hotel Football, which is next to Old Trafford, Neville has frequently criticized the Glazers for neglecting the club’s stadium, which is currently seen as subpar in comparison to some of its competitors. He was incensed when it was rejected for Euro 2028, with Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium winning out.
He stated at the time: “The Glazer family has been warned for years about a lack of investment in Old Trafford.” Over the course of 20 years, they have presided over a collapse that has seen the stadium fall from one of the best in the world to barely ranking in the top 10 in the UK and Ireland. It is the lowest point ever. It’s absurd that hosting a tournament is not among the top ten.”
Neville is willing to donate his time to the initiative, which may result in United moving away from Old Trafford as all possibilities are now being explored, according to The Times. However, Neville does not want to get involved in any roles that contradict with his work for Sky Sports.
Ratcliffe is considering two possibilities, one of which might cost up to £2 billion: building a new stadium next to Old Trafford. The British millionaire has expressed his desire to build a “Wembley of the North” and thinks it would be advantageous for that region of the nation to have access to a top-notch sports facility.
Since United presently owns a sizable portion of the land surrounding the stadium, any potential replacement location would be behind the Stretford End. A new district including shops, offices, pubs, restaurants, and a movie theatre would be one of the new revenue streams produced by any new stadium. The club may also decide to rebuild their current location, which would come with a price tag of almost £800 million.
Ratcliffe has stated that he will contribute financially to the stadium, pledging £245 million as part of his minority investment arrangement to improve the club’s facilities. Nonetheless, he is searching for outside funding and is prepared to advocate on behalf of the government for funding as part of their “Levelling Up” commitment.
