Gary Neville shares his opinion on future of Old Trafford, new stadium, Sir Jim Ratcliffe & more [Exclusive]

The former Red Devils captain is a member of the ‘Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force’

Former Manchester United legend and current TV pundit Gary Neville recently made a visit to Chandigarh, as part of the ‘United We Play’ initiative by Apollo Tyres. During his time there, Neville gave an exclusive interview to Khel Now, where he touched upon a variety of football topics. These included Manchester United’s future direction, potential changes in ownership, and the fate of the club’s iconic stadium, Old Trafford.

The Manchester United icon, Gary Neville has added his voice to the ongoing debate about the future of Old Trafford, one of football’s most historic and iconic stadiums. There are discussions and debates going on whether the club should invest in a complete redevelopment of the ground or construct an entirely new venue.

Neville, who is part of the task force under the new administration of INEOS owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe for the regeneration of the stadium,  emphasized that his main concern is ensuring Manchester United has the finest stadium in world football, regardless of the path taken.

“I genuinely don’t mind, as long as the outcome is that Manchester United have the biggest and best stadium in the world when it comes to club football. That’s what I want. I want there to be that stadium that everybody goes, ‘Wow.’ And Old Trafford still now is incredible, you know, the Old Trafford that we’re playing in at the moment”, Neville said when asked about should a new stadium be built or should Old Trafford be remodelled.

Neville, who played 602 games for United, reflected on how the stadium’s lack of modernization over the past two decades has led to its gradual decline compared to other top clubs. “Obviously, United in the last sort of 10, 15, 20 years, it’s not had that much investment.”

The 48-year-old pundit and former captain suggested that either option—renovating Old Trafford or building a brand-new stadium—could work, as long as the result is a world-class facility worthy of the club’s stature. “I think for me, whether it’s a refurbished Old Trafford, which is similar to what they’ve done at the Bernabeu, or whether it’s a brand-new stadium, like what Tottenham have done, then I honestly don’t care as long as the outcome is that it’s the very best—and I’m sure that will be the case,” he signed off.

Gary Neville on Sir Jim Ratcliffe and new hierarchy at Manchester United

When asked about the new Manchester United owners, Gary Neville said “They have only just come in, in the last few months, so obviously they need time. I think on the football side, it will take a good few years to be able to see the impact of the changes that are going to be made. But there are changes being made and there is now a football department in place that have got a good track record. So, let’s hope that that changes things.”

“Off the pitch, obviously I am part of the Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force, and that’s really exciting because the idea of Old Trafford being the best stadium in the world is something that means a lot to me. I feel very passionate about that.” added Gary Neville.

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