Manchester United have begun scouring golf courses as potential sites for a new training ground amid the club’s effort to depart Carrington.
Per Mail Sport, club officials have identified the South Manchester area as the perfect location for a new training centre and have already opened talks with one golf club.
Man United officials initiated contact in 2022 with the Tatton Estate, the largest private landowner in East Cheshire, as a potential new base of operations.
According to The Sun’s report back then, the club hierarchy performed a U-turn after discovering the cost of building a new state-of-the-art training ground, as a substantial £200 million outlay blew them out of the water.
Despite regular updates to Carrington, there’s an acknowledgement that it falls short of the elite standards set by rivals such as Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.
In light of this, United are exploring other sites, indicating a belief that they have outgrown their current location, which uses 85 acres of a 108-acre plot of land.
Since a staggering 100 acres of developable land is the bare minimum to satisfy United’s demands, the cost of the land, combined with construction expenses, should match the aforementioned figure.
Talks with High Legh Park Golf Club, a woodland course situated in Knutsford, failed to come to fruition, even though it met Man Utd’s requirements to a ‘T’.
Bought by Warrington-based American Golf for £2.7m in 2021 and put up for sale last year, High Legh encompasses an 18-hole Championship course, a 9-hole course and a 24-bay floodlit driving range.
Despite recent setbacks, Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s involvement could be a game-changer. Ratcliffe’s INEOS possesses the rights to explore for shale gas beneath Carrington.
The company owns a 60 percent stake in an onshore oil and gas license covering significant portions of Trafford, including the training ground.
Ratcliffe has pledged to invest in the new training ground, yet recent developments have shed new light on a potentially hidden agenda.
It’s only natural to doubt Ratcliffe’s sincere care for Man United, knowing his company would reap massive benefits from moving the club from their current training ground.
And he’s now in a perfect position to do just that.
