Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson has taken aim at Manchester United's plan to build a new 100,000-seater stadium and fumed: "I am flabbergasted."
United have revealed an ambitious plan to build a state-of-the-art stadium that co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe said could be built within five years. Conceptual images and scale models designed by the architect Lord Norman Foster were unveiled on Tuesday at Foster + Partners' headquarters in London.
Architects at Foster + Partners Ltd said the new stadium would feature an umbrella design and a new public plaza that is "twice the size of Trafalgar Square". The design is set to include three masts described as "the trident", which the architects say will be 200 metres high and visible from 25 miles away.
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While the new stadium - which club figures say is going to cost around £2billion - is built, United are anticipated to stay at Old Trafford until they move into their new stadium. But once the new stadium is open and United move there, the existing Old Trafford ground is expected to be demolished.
Delivering his verdict on the idea for United to be building a new stadium, Merson told Sky Sports: "I think it's pathetic. If I am a Man United fan I would be fuming.
"They are at Old Trafford, they've one of the biggest stadiums in the Premier League. I can understand if it's Chelsea and Chelsea say 'we want to move stadiums' because Chelsea get 38,000 and they need to get a bigger stadium to keep living with the big boys.
"I think it's pathetic...if I'm a Man United fan, I'll be fuming"
Paul Merson shares his honest opinion on Manchester United's new stadium plans pic.twitter.com/A74xeKwkpG
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"But when they're Man United and they already hold 70-odd thousand and holds more than everybody else, why would you need a new stadium? You need new players, they need a team - and this is what I can't work out.
"I hear Sir Jim Ratcliffe going 'this is going to be a stadium and England are going to be able to play here'. Don't worry about England, don't worry about the national team, worry about Man United, worry about getting them into the top six, let alone into the Champions League.
"I just can't believe what I have been seeing over the last couple of days. I am flabbergasted."
