Jim Ratcliffe has stance on renaming Old Trafford if he seals Man Utd takeover

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made it clear that he will not change the name of Old Trafford should he become the new owner of Manchester United.

The billionaire businessman and boyhood United supporter has described such a move as "heresy," as he outlined his plans for a potential takeover.

Ratcliffe, 70, is currently competing against Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, with the current owners, the Glazer family, still undecided on selling the club nine months after putting United on the market. The INEOS founder and chief executive has expressed his desire to make key changes at Old Trafford should he win the race, but renaming the stadium is not one of them.

"I hadn't thought of that, but no," Manchester-born Ratcliffe, recently named as the UK's second richest person, is quoted as saying by the Mirror. "That would be heresy. I would not change it. It's always Old Trafford."

READ MORE: Man Utd shareholders 'make decision' on Sheikh Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe

The sentiment was echoed by United in 2011 when they emphatically declared that they had no plans to sell Old Trafford's naming rights. But in 2019, ex-captain Gary Neville said the Glazers should consider renaming the club's 113-year-old home in order to subsidise ticket prices.

"I would sell the naming rights to Old Trafford if I was at Manchester United for £60, £70, £80 million-a-year," said Neville. "It's the first time I've made that suggestion, but I've thought it for many, many years.

"You would consult with the fans, you've sold sponsorships in every other area of the club. Old Trafford is an iconic stadium in name. I'll never change calling it Old Trafford."

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Ratcliffe, meanwhile, confirmed that he has made "a good offer" to buy United and has met with the Glazers a couple of times. "We would still very much like to do it," he said. "And we would be doing it for the right reasons. But in the end it is their decision not our decision."

Ratcliffe added: "Teams don't come around very often. There are some special teams and the value of them tends to go up. The value of teams like this one is very special and rare – like art. I don't think the world of sport will change that much in 10 years."

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