Ratcliffe yet to make biggest decision he faces after partial Man Utd takeover
Manchester United are yet to decide whether they want to completely rebuild Old Trafford or simply revamp it.
Old Trafford is in need of significant investment, having been allowed to grow tired under the ownership of the Glazers. However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is set to buy a 25 per cent stake in the club, with the deal expected to be ratified by the Premier League later this month.
The Ineos chief is set to take full control of the sporting side of the business and he has already put aside funds to improve United's infrastructure. "Sir Jim will provide a $300 million (£236m) fund intended to enable future investment into the club's infrastructure at Old Trafford, comprising $200 million (£157m) paid upon the closing of the transaction and a further $100 million (£78m) by the end of 2024," the club revealed in a statement back in December.
Reports have claimed that Ratcliffe wants to turn Old Trafford into a 'Wembley of the North' and he has held several meetings with Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to discuss his plans for the club.
"The first thing I would just say is it's good to be able to have a conversation about the future and how we might support the club's ambitions," Burnham said in an interview with the Manchester Evening News.
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"It's for them to decide what those ambitions are and what they want to do. And it's not for me to cut across those discussions in any way. What I can say, though, is it is for us to back the club in terms of its ambitions but also in terms of unlocking the power of the club in the city-region and beyond.
"We work with both clubs and we want the power of both clubs to be felt to the full extent in the east and west of the city-region. Conversations are ongoing. I don't think the club's made its decision yet, but whatever happens, we will back them whatever those decisions are."
Ratcliffe has met with Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to discuss his plans for the club (Vincent Cole - Manchester Evening News)The MEN add that United have been told that rebuilding Old Trafford would be the 'best option' as there would be major complications if they attempt to renovate the current stadium due to the railway line behind the stadium.
The report notes that although a revamp would be 'more cost-efficient' than a rebuild, it would prove 'more time-consuming' and still cost a huge amount of money. A rebuild would also allow United to continue playing in front of capacity crowds while a new stadium is built next door to the existing one.
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