The legend of Manchester United, Paul Scholes, criticized Sir Jim Ratcliffe for looking for external funding to finance the construction of a new stadium for the club.
United leaders recently announced ambitious plans to demolish Old Trafford and replace it with a modern stadium, which will cost around 2 billion pounds Sterling.
The Ratcliffe co -owner described the place proposed as one of the best in the world.
However, Ratcliffe has not yet revealed how the project will be funded, with reports suggesting that it is based on private investments and potential government assistance.
Scholes, an icon of the club, is not convinced by the intentions of Ratcliffe, suggesting that the words alone are not enough.
Speaking about the “debate of fans of overlap” of Sky Bet, Scholes said: “You can sometimes be credible, and believe what he (Ratcliffe) says, simply because you have never heard anyone before.
“The words are cheap isn’t it …” 🤷️
Scholsey has his say on the great man of Sir Jim Ratcliffe. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/fswtirxnhv
– overlapping (@wearethetheoverlap) March 18, 2025
“You don’t know how realistic it’s, everything is in the air. The words are cheap, and we could say anything on anyone, you can say that in 10 years, we will have the biggest and the best stadium.
“For a long time, we have been called the richest club in the world, but I have the impression that we were going a little, asking for the stadium and that we need 2 billion pounds sterling and to sell players to buy players.”
Ratcliffe, who directed the initiative for a new arena with 100,000 places, defended the decision to move away from the Theater of Dreams and insisted that there is a need for an upgrade.
Discussing the club’s vision for the future, he said: “Our current stadium has served us brilliantly in the past 115 years, but it has lagged behind the best arenas of world sport.
“By building alongside the existing site, we will be able to preserve the essence of Old Trafford, while creating a truly ultramodern stadium which transforms the experience of fans only from our historic house.”
The proposal sparked a debate between fans and experts, some supporting the idea of a world class stage, while others remain concerned about financial sustainability and potential disturbances during the transition period.
