Manchester United Carrington upgrade hits £50m

BBC Sport surveys Manchester United's refurbished training ground after a major investment.

Manchester United reveals £50m Carrington upgrade

Manchester United has completed a £50m upgrade to the Carrington training complex, turning it into an all in one elite environment. The project adds a cinema room for slides and replays, a central hub with real time data displays, a high altitude room, four pools including a cold plunge and underwater treadmill, and expanded sauna and steam facilities. The first team dressing room now includes touchscreens for personalized routines and timed messages from coaches. A dedicated staff area brings coaches, analysts, recruitment staff, scouting and leadership together to speed up decision making. Some parts are still being finished, and the space originally used by the women’s team will become a padel court with pods and new red light therapy and dry flotation facilities.

The upgrade is designed to encourage players to spend longer at Carrington, signaling a shift from the days of quick in and out visits. The project sits alongside broader changes under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ownership and a renewed emphasis on modern, data driven training culture. The piece notes Cristiano Ronaldo’s old critique that United was stuck in time, and Dalot’s comments suggest the club is listening and moving forward, with praise for leadership from the top. Data driven tools like hydration analysis and real time condition monitoring are highlighted as part of the daily routine, a development some fans welcome while others may view as part of increasing surveillance. There is no sign yet of a signing like Benjamin Sesko on Friday.

The Carrington facelift fits a wider trend in top flight football: clubs turning training grounds into high tech, high touch ecosystems. These facilities serve as recruitment tools, performance labs and brand statements all at once. The question is whether such ambitious upgrades translate into on pitch gains and sustained culture, or simply create a glossy backdrop for the next transfer window. By centralizing operations and expanding living spaces at the training site, United signals a long term bet on football as a daily habit rather than a set of isolated sessions.

At the same time, the scale of investment brings risks. The £50m price tag raises questions about opportunity costs in a club period of heavy spending on players and staff. Privacy and employee comfort come into play when data driven features measure hydration, performance and health in real time. Fans and players may push back if the information is seen as intrusive or if expectations rise faster than results. The Ronaldo reference adds a layer of context: a culture shift is not just about facilities, but about how the club is perceived to evolve under new leadership.

Highlights

The project will be judged in time by results on the pitch and the lived experience of players in daily workouts.