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Senior figures at Manchester United are reportedly weighing up relocating from the club's Carrington training complex. Plans to expand the site are believed to have run into complications ahead of Sir Jim Ratcliffe's formal arrival as part-owner.
United chiefs have been engaged in periodic discussions over moving the club's training ground since 2022. In the last two years they have splashed millions on enhancing facilities for the women's team, the academy and the first team.
A more comprehensive expansion has also been a topic of discussion at Old Trafford, but such plans have presented complications. According to the Manchester Evening News, a narrow country road and low-hanging cables approaching the training ground limit what infrastructure designers are able to do.
As a result, United chiefs are believed to be weighing up whether to completely relocate their training facilities away from Carrington, which has served as the club's base since 2000.
United have reportedly scouted out the prospect of purchasing nearby farmland to build on, although there are issues over whether soil originally used for food production would be fit for purpose.
The prospect of putting more buildings at Carrington has been dismissed as it would detract from the pitch space, and United are keen to ensure football remains the top priority. Mags Mernagh, the mastermind behind Leicester City's impressive Seagrave training ground, is now the director of infrastructure at Man Utd.
"Nothing changes," he told Talk TV back in 2022. "Not only the jacuzzi, the pool, even the gym. Even some points of technology, the kitchen, the chefs - who I appreciate, lovely people!
"They stop in time, which surprised me a lot. I thought I would see different things: technology, infrastructure. Unfortunately, we see many things I’m used to seeing when I’m 21, 22, 23 [years old]. It surprised me a lot."
