Man United move to match Man City after new announcement – Keith Wyness
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has claimed Man United want to match Man City’s work in the city after announcing plans to redevelop the Trafford Wharfside area.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed the Red Devils are “late to the party” with City’s roots already running deep in Manchester.
Man United announced on Monday (9 September) that they have entered into a strategic partnership with Trafford Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
They claim the aim is to “develop an ambitious vision for the area around Old Trafford, with a focus on how a world-class stadium can catalyse wider regeneration”.
Plans are in place at United to replace their existing ground with a 100,000-seater new stadium.
Man City have transformed the area around the Etihad Stadium, which originally hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2002.
Man United are ‘late to the party’ after Trafford Wharfside announcement, says Wyness
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “Man City have done great work with regenerating the area around the Etihad.
“They’ve been given big praise for that, and quite rightly.
“They’ve taken advantage of the Abu Dhabi partnership to make a positive outcome for Manchester.
“Man United have now come late to the party.
“They want to try and emulate what City have done.
“I’ll be watching this partnership very closely because when I’ve done stadium developments in the past, the only money coming in has been for the surrounding areas – never the stadium itself.
“We’ll have to watch United closely to make sure there is no council or government money coming into their hands.
“It has to be a strategic partnership that doesn’t go any further.”
In other news, fans think Man United must sack Erik ten Hag after Cristiano Ronaldo reveal.
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