Erik ten Hag responds to ambitious ‘Wembley of the North’ plans

Erik ten Hag believes Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s reported plans to turn Old Trafford into the Wembley of the North shows his ambition for the club.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe aims to resolve the issues that exist at Old Trafford, where leaks in the roof have existed for years, although a move from the existing stadium is currently seen as controversial with several club legends speaking out against the idea.

The traditionalists in the fanbase would prefer to keep Old Trafford, but the options on the table include redeveloping the current stadium, knocking down the stadium or building on land next door – or relocating to another site in Manchester.

Ten Hag gave credit to Ratcliffe for showing ambition, but stressed that it is not his task to deal with questions relating to club infrastructure. The manager added that his job is to manage the team.

“So if that is his view then I would say it expresses the ambition of this club which is good but it is not my task in this club to deal with stadium questions, with facilities, my job is to manage the team and rebuild the squad,” Ten Hag said, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News.

The future of Old Trafford is very much up in the air right now and we shouldn’t expect an official announcement until the Premier League ratifies Ratcliffe’s deal to buy 25% of the club. And, any of the options could take years to fruition.

Subscribe to the Stretty News podcast Strettycast for weekly episodes on Manchester United. You can also sign up to the ad-free Stretty Newsletter. Get the Stretty News verdict on all matters Manchester United. 

More Stories Erik ten Hag INEOS Manchester United Old Trafford Sir Jim Ratcliffe