CUTTING EDGE Man Utd’s new £50million training ground to have barbers and swimming pool after Cristiano Ronaldo complaintsMANCHESTER UNITED'S swanky new £50million training ground is set to open next month - and players will be treated to their very own BARBER SHOP.The Red Devils are pulling out all the stops to catch up to their rivals after Cristiano Ronaldo blasted the club's "stagnant" infrastructure during his second spell.7 Manchester United's swanky new £50million training ground is set to open next month Credit: manutd7 These AI images showed what the plans looked when they were released last summer Credit: manutd7 The world-class venue has been built to encourage players to stay after training and come together Credit: manutd7 Sir Jim Ratcliffe's £236 million fresh capital investment to improving the club's infrastructure after purchasing a 27.7 per cent minority stakeAnd with Sir Jim Ratcliffe taking on Ronaldo's words of wisdom a year ago, the five-star sporting complex will be ready to welcome back Ruben Amorim's squad from their pre-season tour of the United States on August 4.The plans were drawn up by Ratcliffe's pals at Foster + Partners, who will also build United's new 100,000-seater Wembley of the North by 2030.Amorim and his players have been using academy team facilities since last summer, while the two-tier first team building at their Carrington training ground was renovated.United are yet to publicly reveal images of the facility, but The Times report that it contains state-of-the-art equipment designed to help performance.Supposedly cash-strapped United funded the upgrade through Ratcliffe's £236million fresh capital investment into improving the club's infrastructure after purchasing a 27.7 per cent minority stake.Upstairs, there will be a recreational area for players to relax and they can also be pampered with a haircut in a specifically-designed barbers.It is believed to be the first training ground in the UK with a dedicated hair-dressing salon.But it remains to be seen whether United will employ their own club barber or allow players to bring in their own along.7 A barber shop will be build for players to get styled inJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old TraffordThe idea behind having a barbers, a top-class canteen and new swimming pool at Carrington is to persuade the players to stay for longer, and not dash off home as soon as training is over.Team bonding is a must for Amorim, who hasn't enjoyed the summer reset he was hoping for, with the blacklisted 'Bomb Squad' including Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho, still needing to be sold before next season.Juventus want Rashford!On the ground level, a flow system has been introduced that means the players visit the changing rooms, gym, pool, and medical and massage areas in the right order before they head out on to the pitches for their training session.State-of-the-art cryogenic chambers have also been installed and gym facilities have been upgraded.After returning to the club that made him in 2021, Ronaldo pointed out that the swimming pool had not changed since he left for Real Madrid in 2009.The five-time Ballon d'Or winner complained that "loose, chipped and missing tiles" within the pools were a safety hazard - and refused to use them.Senior figures felt the criticism was harsh, but Ineos accepted that the pool needed a revamp.7 Carrington's swimming pool as it looked in 20007 Cristiano Ronaldo was reportedly unhappy with Man United's training facilitiesWindows have also been installed in the corridor on the bottom floor because staff complained the areas mimicked a dingy NHS hospital.Ineos also wanted the offices on second floor to be open plan, which is designed to improve collaboration between departments.The idea is that the training ground will become the club’s base of operations, with several senior members of departments other than football, such as commercial, to be transferred from Old Trafford.In 2023, United opened the £10million building shared between the women’s and academy teams, which has been the temporary home of Amorim’s squad.Ratcliffe's sporting director and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford had a huge input into the project, visiting similar facilities at American football teams.Carrington was a modern complex when United moved there in 2000 after leaving their former training ground The Cliff.But it had rotted away, like United in recent years, which is why some staff thought Ronaldo had a point when he said that it had “stopped in time” in 2022.Workers are now putting the finishing touches to the building and it is expected to be open and ready before Amorim's men play their final pre-season friendly of the summer against Fiorentina at Old Trafford.The fallen giants, who suffered their worst season in 50 years after finishing 15th in the league, then host title-chasing Arsenal in their Premier League opener on August 17.
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