Paul Scholes aims subtle dig at Sir Jim Ratcliffe over Man Utd’s £2bn stadium plan

Manchester United have unveiled plans for a glittering new stadium to replace Old Trafford and Red Devils icon Paul Scholes has broken his silence on the possible redevelopment

Paul Scholes has challenged Sir Jim Ratcliffe to put his money where his mouth is when it comes to Manchester United’s new stadium.

The Red Devils unveiled eye-watering plans for a total revamp of Old Trafford earlier this week. It would involve building a brand-new £2bn arena as part of a major redevelopment project of the area surrounding the stadium.

Old Trafford would then be demolished, but only when the new stadium is complete and ready for use. The plans have received mixed responses from fans.

And while Scholes is thrilled at the prospect of a much-needed new home for his former side, he wants to see Ratcliffe actually follow through on the plans. Asked if he likes the new design, he replied: “I do, yeah. It looks fantastic.

“If it’s deliverable, I don’t know. We know how much money it’s going to cost, £2 billion or something, is it? Whether that money can be raised, I don’t know. I hope so.

“I think it’s been an exciting week in some ways. For a start, I know we’re actually communicating with the fans and the people of Manchester, which hasn’t happened for quite some time now. I know they’re only words and, you know, things need to be proven that that’s going to happen.

“But there were some exciting things in there. I always look at the team as the most exciting thing, and the most important thing, we’re saying three to five years that he thinks they can deliver a team and a squad of players that are going to be good enough to compete.

“But again, they’re all words, aren’t they? Talk is cheap. When that actually happens, then I’ll be as excited as everybody else. And again, with the stadium as well, once it happens, then great.

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“But it’s okay coming out saying all these things. These things have to be proven that you can do them. I just hope they come true from what it’s told us.”

As it stands, there is no date for when the stadium will be finished although there is hope that it could be opened within five years. But the Government has already given their backing to the lucrative project.

“It depends how quickly the Government gets going with the regeneration programme,” Jim Ratcliffe said when asked when the stadium could be finished. “I think they want to get going quite quickly.”

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