Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent purchase of Manchester United will reportedly not lead to a solution over the renovation of Old Trafford. Red Devils chiefs may need to seek further investment in order to give the stadium a much-needed revamp.
The Glazer family have often received criticism for neglecting Old Trafford. As recently as late last month a video circulated online of supporters getting soaked during the 1-0 loss at home to Crystal Palace.
It would have been understandable if the fans in question were sitting in the front few rows. However, they were a good 20 rows back and a leaky roof dampened what was already a frustrating afternoon for the home faithful.
Partial improvements have been made in recent years, including a paint job in 2022. But large parts of the one-time state-of-the-art stadium are in desperate need of improvement and modernization.
However, The Athletic says Ratcliffe’s proposal to buy a 25 per cent stake in United will not solve that issue. It is claimed Ratcliffe will have influence over football decisions if the boardroom votes in favour of his investment.
But there is no immediate plan for the INEOS founder to pour money into renovating Old Trafford. Therefore it is reported that a further round of investment may be needed to find the funds required for a major upgrade.
The Glazers appointed architects in April 2022 to plan an overhaul of the stadium. It emerged that it would potentially cost more than £2billion, part of the reason why the current owners revealed they were open to new investment last November.
It was confirmed this month that the UK and Ireland will host Euro 2028 in five years’ time. The proposal earlier this year saw Old Trafford left out of the stadiums put forward to host matches.
