Man Utd legends hit back at new stadium plans | OneFootball

Legendary former Manchester United players Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt have questioned the club's decision to leave their traditional home of Old Trafford for a new stadium, with both casting doubt as to whether the grand project will ever be completed.

The club's influential and outspoken co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe proudly unveiled plans to build a brand new 100,000-seater venue earlier this month. Construction of this vast, sprawling behemoth is set to be overseen by Foster + Partners and is going to include a new public plaza that is "twice the size of Trafalgar Square".

United expect the total cost to be in the region of £2bn, although that is considered to be a small price to pay for what Ratcliffe predicted to be the "world's greatest football stadium".

Giggs was not entirely convinced. "I think everyone, if it was possible, would like to keep the stadium as it is," the club's record appearance maker told the Manchester Evening News. Giggs went on to reference the work done by Barcelona and Real Madrid to refurbish their existing venues as the preferred method.

"Man Utd has always been at the forefront of technology, about having the best facilities, having the best stadium, having the best fan experience and we fell behind with that," Giggs continued.

"The design is not going to look like that, I don't think," the former winger sniffed. "I think when you see buildings and it gets the headlines and it's that sort of shock. But if it is going to be a new stadium, which it looks like, it needs to be the best. Hopefully we get the best players on the pitch as well."

While Giggs questioned the aesthetic details of United's plan for a ground which has been quickly dubbed 'New Trafford', Butt scoffed at the financial possibility of the entire affair.

"It's great they've got some new plans," the former midfielder shrugged. "Whether or not it's doable is anyone's guess. It's obviously a massive, massive project. It's going to cost a lot of money. I'd like to see it happen, but I just think there's that much money involved and there's that much things that have got to go right.

"But the thought process of trying to move in the right direction is a good thing for me, whether we get to that level or we just get a new stadium and not the facilities all around, I just don't know. I'd like to think it would happen, but I think there's a long way to go before it gets to that level."

United plan to remain at Old Trafford while the new ground is being built. Taxpayers will not fund the actual building of the stadium, but the schematics have been drawn up on the assumption that the British government follow through with their growth agenda and regeneration plans for the local area. Many within the club and parliament have publicly expressed their confidence that this new ground will be erected - despite the doubts of Giggs and Butt.