Man Utd begin work on £50m refurb project with world-class facility promised
Manchester United will next week begin work on a £50m project that will see its Carrington training ground transformed into a “world-class facility.”
The club have confirmed that the architect firm led by Manchester-born Lord Norman Foster has been hired to oversee the renovations, which marks a major step forward under new part-owners INEOS.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s corporation, which purchased a quarter of the club last December and now oversees all footballing matters, has been clear that they intend to invest heavily in improving the club’s infrastructure after several rivals have stolen a march in recent years.
The work is expected to last across the entire 2024/25 season and United said: “Temporary adaptations will be made… to ensure players and staff from all our teams can continue to operate successfully next season.”
United plan to revamp the gym, medical, nutrition and recovery areas and there is “a design emphasis on creating more space for collaboration and innovation among players and staff.”
After confirming the plans for Carrington, Ratcliffe said: “We want to create a world-class environment for our teams to win. When we conducted a thorough review of the Carrington training facilities and met with our men’s first-team players, it was clear the standards had fallen below some of our peers. This project will ensure Manchester United's training ground is once more renovated to the highest standards.”
The new Carrington building will create spaces to inspire, according to United.
Last summer United opened a separate building at Carrington for its academy and women’s teams after a £10m investment. Lord Foster, whose firm oversaw the transformation of Wembley among other sporting projects, said: “We are delighted to lead the renewal of Manchester United's training facility in Carrington.
“Our aim is to modernise and revitalise the building as a catalyst for future footballing success, creating spaces that inspire a culture of collaboration, unity and belonging.
“As a proud Mancunian, it is a particular honour for me to see Foster + Partners given this responsibility and we will ensure that our design captures the spirit of industry, grit and ambition that exemplifies both Manchester and Manchester United.”
The new Carrington building will feature a spiral staircase, according to graphics supplied by the club.
United are also eager to move ahead with plans for Old Trafford with Ratcliffe keen to make it the “Wembley of the North” but no decision has been made over how to renovate the existing structure with previous reports suggesting that building a new stadium on adjacent land was being considered.
The club was widely criticised last season because of the ageing stadium’s leaking roof - in particular after a storm during the Premier League defeat to Arsenal.
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