Erik ten Hag decision and Old Trafford goodbye - Sir Jim Ratcliffe handed clear Man United plan

Sir Jim Ratcliffe was at Old Trafford to watch Manchester United’s draw with Tottenham on Sunday and beforehand he had a brief chat with journalists in the media room.

The new co-owner is set to take over sporting matters at the club once his £1.3billion investment is ratified by the Premier League. He will be flanked by Sir Dave Brailsford and former Juventus chief Jean-Claude Blanc.

A number of topics will be in his in tray, with transfers no doubt high on the agenda. But the recruitment room is not the only area of the club that needs improving. Old Trafford and Carrington are both in need of upgrading with United now behind the curve in terms of infrastructure. Ratcliffe has pledged to invest $300m (£257m) into that throughout 2024.

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Our MEN Sport United reporters have outlined what Ratcliffe should target first.

Knocking down Old Trafford. United have to do that for a symbolic gesture, as much as the logistics. Old Trafford has a large footprint and there have been discussions about 'rotating' a rebuilt stadium so they would have greater scope to expand.

When we asked Ratcliffe what his first impressions were, he hesitated and preferred not to comment. He must take a dim view of a stadium that was, until the Glazer era, the best-in-class in Europe but will not even host European Championship matches in 2028.

Symbolically, United have been a club beyond repair over the past decade. The MEN opted for a cracked stadium, never mind a cracked badge, a couple of seasons ago. A new Old Trafford would signal a new era better than any marquee signing.

Ratcliffe should