Gary Neville's stance on renaming Old Trafford with Sir Jim Ratcliffe considering move

Gary Neville has previously shown support for Manchester United selling the naming rights to Old Trafford - but with a caveat.

The bombshell revelation revealed that part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is open to the idea of selling the naming rights to either a revamped Old Trafford or a new stadium, aiming to boost funds for the multi-billion-pound project, as reported by The Athletic.

The club is also considering significantly increasing ticket prices, with United already in discussions with financial institutions like Bank of America to secure the necessary capital for a substantial overhaul of the Red Devils' home ground.

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The thought of selling the naming rights is likely to upset supporters, given that the 114-year-old stadium has always been known as Old Trafford, maintaining its name while others like Arsenal and Manchester City have sold theirs to Emirates and Etihad Airlines, reports the Mirror.

Years before the prospect of renaming Old Trafford emerged, former United skipper Neville was of the opinion that selling the naming rights could lead to positive community developments and contribute to lower ticket prices, which contrasts with the current direction the club seems to be taking.

In a 2019 conversation on Stan Collymore's podcast The Last Word, Neville said: "The Glazer family, and to be fair, they've said it for correct reasons, have said that they'll never put naming rights on Old Trafford, the brand of Old Trafford.

"I would sell the naming rights to Old Trafford if I was at Manchester United for £60, £70, £80million-a-year. On the understanding that all of the money generated £800m over 10 years would mean that the whole of the Stretford End would be £10 or £12 to get in, and a proportion of those tickets would go to young people.

"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."

Ratcliffe has plans to enhance the Theatre of Dreams, which has become more of a nightmare during the Glazers' tenure. A new-build would be the pricier option, but could yield long-term benefits compared to refurbishing the existing ground.