Ryan Giggs’ ex Stacey has introduced his kids to Max George who says he’s madly in love with the former WAG

MAX GEORGE has revealed he is in love with RYAN GIGGS’ ex-wife Stacey, who is now officially his girlfriend.

But the popstar, who became the international heartthrob of boy band THE WANTED, has not yet met the love rat footballer who broke Stacey’s heart following a string of cheating revelations.

In an exclusive interview ahead of the release of his summer single Better On Me, Max opened up about his new relationship for the first time.

He told me: “Yeah, she is my girlfriend. People have seen us out and about, so we both said it's probably best we put an end to people questioning what's going on, you know?

“We're really happy, she's an amazing girl. I just want to see how things go and – fingers crossed – it all goes well.”

Max was introduced to Stacey after moving permanently back to Manchester at Christmas after splitting from his former long-term girlfriend Carrie Baker, who he had been living with in Las Vegas.

He explained: “We met through friend of friends a couple of months ago down one of the locals near us and we just got chatting and that was it really. We had a connection.”

And the relationship is serious enough for Max to have met Stacey’s two children with Ryan – Liberty, 16, and Zach, 12. “Yeah I've spent quite a lot of time with them, they're awesome,” Max confirms.

Stacey split from current Wales boss Ryan in 2016 and sought half of his £40m fortune in their divorce. Their marriage broke down because of his flings with women including Imogen Thomas and Natasha Giggs, the wife of his own brother Rhodri.

But when I raise Ryan’s indiscretions and ask if Max has ever met the footballer, he answers: “No. Obviously that's all sort of their business with the kids and everything. I've never met him.

“We don't really talk about anything in the past, we just take each day as it comes and are just enjoying each other's company.

“There are no concerns there. It's not something that we talk about, past relationships and stuff, we want to look forward.”

I ask if he’s in love. Max smiles then whispers sweetly, seeming to surprise himself: “Yeah, I must be, I must be.”

Max wrote the new single with JASON DERULO four years ago when he was signed to the US megastar’s record label – and the brilliant track will finally be released on May 24.

He explains: “We actually recorded it together at the start. But then the whole label thing didn't work out so he said, ‘Listen, take the song.’ It's one that I've always wanted to release and I'm just delighted now that I can actually do it.”

The song is about the connection you feel with ex-partners but Max, who was previously engaged to MICHELLE KEEGAN, insists he doesn’t feel that way about his.

“I’m sure that some people do stay friends with their exes, but it’s never really worked for me that,” he admits.

“I think it's just always been easier to just sort of move on, let them get on with everything that they're doing. You wish them well obviously.”

Max’s career is booming – he’s also working on new music with star American writer DIANE WARREN and has just been taken on by top agency CAA in Los Angeles to look after his acting career in Hollywood.

And as for that long rumoured reunion of The Wanted, who broke up in 2014 after a string of hits, he remains up for the idea.

“I always get a bit like nostalgic and think, Are we ready to do it soon or what? I do always think that. To be honest I think it'll be one of those things that it just happens really quickly and comes out of the blue,” he says.

Sounds a bit like his new love.