Sir Jim Ratcliffe has hailed the £50million revamp of Manchester United’s Carrington training ground as an important stepping stone to rebuilding a winning culture at the club.
Ratcliffe joined United players and executives and legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson for the official opening on Friday of the newly-improved facility he hopes will help lead a transformation to their fortunes on the pitch.
United haven’t won the Premier League since Ferguson’s retirement in 2013 and finished 15th in the table last season and failed to qualify for Europe after losing to Tottenham in the Europa League final.
However, manager Ruben Amorim has been given the tools to mount a fightback with a new £200million frontline in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbuemo and Benjamin Sesko, and co-owner Ratcliffe says providing the players with a state-of-the-art environment in which to work on a daily basis is crucial.
‘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,’ he said as he joined Fergie for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
‘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.’
Sir Jim Ratcliffe (L) was joined by Sir Alex Ferguson (R) for the official opening on Friday
Ratcliffe has hailed the £50million revamp of Manchester United ‘s Carrington training ground
Chief Executive Office 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.’
Redevelopment of the men’s team building follows the construction of a new £10 million building for the women’s first team and men’s Academy in 2024, bringing the total investment in Carrington to more than £60 million over the past three years, and unifying all the club’s teams in a single, modernised campus.
The latest project has been worked on for 12 months headed by renowned Mancunian architect Lord Normal Foster.
It has been financed by a slice of the £250million invested into United by Sir Jim last year and the club have stressed the facility has been completed on time and within budget.
Special focus has been placed on upgrading equipment and technology with a focus on fitness, nutrition, recovery and team unity.
Amorim’s squad spent last season in temporary facilities. Now they are able to prepare for next weekend’s big league kick off against Arsenal in the new build. Other staff who were previously based at Old Trafford will also now work at Carrington
