Jim Ratcliffe heralded Manchester United’s new-look training ground as a “world-class performance environment” as it reopened following a £50million transformation.
The Red Devils have called Carrington home since January 2000, when they left their longstanding base, The Cliff, to move into a facility that cost £14.3m to build at the time.
The training ground has undergone renovations over the past 25 years but had fallen behind many Premier League clubs, leading United to announce plans to turn it into a state-of-the-art complex last June.
The renovation work was completed during the 2024-25 season and Ruben Amorim’s squad moved into the men’s first team building this week having returned from their pre-season tour of the United States.
Ratcliffe’s 300m US dollars (£236.7m at the time of the agreement) infrastructure investment as part of the deal to become minority owner funded a project that he believes will help United in their fight to return to the top.
“Following a review of the facility last year, we made a quick decision to invest significantly in the creation of a world-class performance environment for staff and players to reflect our ambition and vision for Manchester United,” the United co-owner said.
“We are delighted with the outcome and are confident the new facility will play an important role in building a winning culture at the club.”
This is the biggest upgrade to Carrington since it opened at the turn of the millennium, with United calling it a “leading-edge, high-performance training environment designed to inspire collaboration, innovation and excellence”.
The latest phase of development at Carrington follows the opening of the £10m women’s and academy building last summer.
United said: “Equipment and technology have been upgraded throughout, with a focus on fitness, nutrition, recovery and team unity.
“Designed with input from players and staff, priority has been placed on functionality, openness and connectivity, with increased natural light and open workspaces.
“Most of the club’s executive leadership team has also moved into the building, together with a number of other staff relocated from Old Trafford, signifying a shift in the club’s centre of gravity towards Carrington, with football at the core.”
United chief executive Omar Berrada added: “This project represents a clear step towards unifying every part of the club around a shared footballing vision.
“By bringing our staff and players closer together in one integrated environment, we are creating a culture of collaboration and high-performance.”
The £50m training ground project was overseen by Foster + Partners, which was also appointed last September to develop a masterplan for the Old Trafford stadium district.
United unveiled their eye-catching plans to replace Old Trafford with a new 100,000-seater stadium at the firm’s headquarters in March, when the club stated their ambition to move in by the start of the 2030-31 season.
The revamped training ground continues a busy summer at the club having finished 15th last season and lost the Europa League final.
Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Diego Leon have joined Amorim’s Red Devils, with Benjamin Sesko set to follow after United agreed a fee rising to £73.7m with RB Leipzig.
