- Former Chancellor of the Exchequer could come onboard in an advisory capacity
- United seeking to either build a state-of-the-art home or refurbish Old Trafford
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Ollie Watkins to Arsenal? It’s terrible planning from Arsenal… it’s all a bit late and panicked from the Gunners!
George Osborne – the former chancellor of the exchequer – is being lined up for a key role in Manchester United’s plans for a new stadium.
Inside Sport understands that the ex-Tory MP, who came up with the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ proposal a decade ago, recently met co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and could well come onboard in an advisory capacity as United seek to either build a state-of-the-art 100,000 home or refurbish their existing stadium.
Osborne, current chair of the British Museum, would be the latest big-hitter to join United’s quest to transform Old Trafford and the surrounding area, which continues to gather pace.
Already Lord Coe, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham and ex-United defender Gary Neville are involved in what would become one of the biggest regeneration projects in the region’s history.
United will fund a new stadium or a redevelopment of Old Trafford themselves. However, public money is being sought to facilitate the vast project that officials claim could create 90,000 jobs and be worth £7.3bn to the economy.
Osborne was voted in as MP for nearby Tatton in 2001, becoming the youngest Conservative member of the House of Commons in the process.
George Osborne is being lined up for a key role in Man United ’s plans for a new stadium.
Despite leaving public office in 2017, he is currently president of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership, a think tank which aims to drive investment to close the north-south income divide and which also includes Lord Jim O’Neill, a lifelong United fan who led the unsuccessful Red Knights bid to buy the club from the Glazers.
Osborne’s network of contacts could well come in very handy as United seek to move quickly, with local and central government backing already in the bag.
Ed Sheeran makes promise to Mark Wood
England’s cricketers were guests of singer Ed Sheeran in Pune – which could be good news for Mark Wood in the shape of a new instrument.
The Durham man joked in his autobiography that he had handed over the best bat he has ever owned to the megastar at a previous meeting in Auckland in 2018 in the seemingly vain hope of receiving a guitar in return.
Quick-thinking comms boss Danny Reuben reminded the pair of the situation last week and Sheeran promptly insisted on taking Wood’s address, confirming he would oblige when he returns to the UK from his own tour.
GB basketball chair under pressure
Football is not the only sport to face a breakaway threat. Sources have told Inside Sport that pressure is mounting on the chair of the British Basketball Federation, Chris Grant, to resign after attempts to sell an operating license for the top professional men’s league have seen club owners announce they may be forced to form a new competition outside the control of the governing body.
Super League Basketball is owned by its clubs, who have ploughed in more than £15m to create a viable league following the fallout from sports investors and a disastrous involvement from would-be Everton owners 777.
Pressure is mounting on the chair of the British Basketball Federation, Chris Grant, to resign
It should have come as no surprise to Grant, therefore, that club owners reacted in disbelief to the news the BBF intended to award ‘preferred bidder’ status to a US-led investment consortium to run the league after this season, without their involvement or consent in the decision.
Fans have also vented their anger online, which has seen Grant subsequently delete his X (formerly Twitter) account in the face of their sustained criticism. Should he press on, a nine-club breakaway is on the cards amid what insiders describe as ‘a collapse in faith and trust of the BBF’.
Skating president gives lesson in compassion
While IOC presidential candidates were pitching furiously to members in Lausanne last week, one colleague was no doubt too distracted to take it all in.
President of the International Skating Union, JaeYoul Kim, was coming to terms with the news that many talented young skating athletes had, only hours earlier, died in the tragic plane crash in Washington.
Kim went on to give the presidential candidates a lesson in humility and compassion, speaking emotionally and sensitively to the world’s media who were keen to move the story on.
