Manchester United consider temporary training base for women’s team

Manchester United are reportedly considering using St George’s Park as a temporary training facility, according to reports this week.

The Manchester club have come under scrutiny in recent weeks after Sir Jim Ratcliffe admitted that long-term plans for the women’s team were yet to be determined. A number of high-profile players have also left the club, including captain Katie Zelem and goalkeeper Mary Earps.

To add insult to injury, it has also been revealed that the women’s team will be relocated to portable cabins at the club’s training base in Carrington next season to make room for the men’s team while their base undergoes a £50m renovation project that will last for the duration of the 2024/25 campaign.

Just 12 months ago, the state-of-the-art £10 million women’s team and academy building opened its doors, representing a huge boost for the women’s team. Now, a year later, it is the men’s team who will have priority access to the facilities.

While temporary buildings are being assembled for the women in Carrington, The Athletic The report now states that St George’s Park could be used by the club for a short period. The report claims that the facility, used by the England men’s and women’s teams, has been provisionally booked by the Red Devils from July 29 for a period of two to three weeks.

No final decision has yet been made, but it has been claimed that the players will remain at St George’s Park for the duration of the training camp, rather than travelling back and forth between Manchester and the FA’s national football centre in Burton-Upon-Trent, which is just under 70 miles away and around a 90-minute drive from the Carrington base in Greater Manchester.

United confirmed their first signing of the summer earlier this week with the arrival of former Arsenal and Wolfsburg defender Dominique Janssen on a free. It follows three departures including Zelem, Earps and striker Lucia Garcia.

The 2024/25 WSL season will kick off on the weekend of 21-22 September 2024, with the transfer window closing one week before on Friday 13 September.