Manchester United will embark upon a £50 million (€59 million) redevelopment of their Carrington training headquarters next week as they look to transform it into a “world-class” facility.
Lord Norman Foster’s Foster + Partners practice will lead a project under which the men’s first team building will be refurbished – the initial focus will be on the gym, medical, nutrition and recovery areas – in a bid to lay a foundation for future success.
The work, which is due to get under way on Monday, comes after a review of the club’s training facilities revealed standards had fallen below those of some of the club’s competitors, and following the opening of the £10m state-of-the-art women’s and Academy building last summer.
ℹ️ We will begin work to modernise the men’s first-team building at Carrington next week.
The £50m project will see all areas of the building refurbished to deliver a world-class facility, creating a high-performance environment for players and staff.#MUFC— Manchester United (@ManUtd) June 14, 2024
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Co-owner Sir Jim 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.
“Lord Foster, a fellow Mancunian, has brought some great inspiration to the design, in conjunction with the Manchester United team and we look forward to seeing the improvement to the facilities, but most importantly on the pitch.”
The work is expected to last the duration of the 2024-25 season, during which temporary adaptations will be made to accommodate the players and staff.
Lord Foster has vowed to deliver a design which would reflect the “spirit of industry, grit and ambition” of both the club and the city.
He 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 review of the club’s facilities also identified issues at Old Trafford, where a rainstorm during last month’s 1-0 Premier League defeat by Arsenal spectacularly demonstrated a leaking roof at the stadium.
Ratcliffe is exploring options to redevelop the existing venue or to build a new one on adjacent land.
