The Professional Footballers’ Association are ready to seek conversations with Manchester United after being made aware of growing discontent regarding the club’s management of their women’s team.
It emerged earlier this week that the club’s women’s team will be moved out of the £11million training facility that had been specifically constructed for the women’s outfit and academy in order to make way for the club’s men’s first-team during the 2024-25 season.
United have announced a £50m infrastructure project to revamp the training facilities at Carrington for the men’s first team but the building work will mean that the existing men’s facilities are not accessible during the coming season.
As such, the club has decided to prioritise the men’s team by moving Erik ten Hag’s side into the women’s building. The women’s team will instead use temporary portacabins.
This is the second time in three years that the PFA have been made aware of concerns by United’s women’s team, after members of the team previously approached the PFA for support in trying to improve conditions at the club in 2021.
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The PFA did not comment when approached by The Athletic but sources close to the situation, who chose to speak anonymously due to the sensitivity of the discussions, told The Athletic that the PFA — the trade union for footballers — are now prepared to step in on behalf of United players amid concerns about the environment.
A £11m redevelopment of the women’s and academy building took place last summer. However, United announced in June they were beginning work on a further redevelopment of Carrington, with work to be carried out on the gym, medical, nutrition and recovery facilities which will now cause significant upheaval for the women’s side.
United say they considered temporarily relocating teams to an alternative facility to ease pressure at Carrington, but this was ruled out for performance reasons.
The pitches, fitness and nutrition facilities there are of significantly higher quality than what would have been available elsewhere, they say, and access to them will remain available to all teams through what the club call “a phased approach”.
It is a one-season project and the women’s side will be back in the redeveloped building next season.
United have confirmed the departures of key first team players for a second successive summer with the exits of captain Katie Zelem and Spain international Lucia Garcia announced this week and goalkeeper Mary Earps is expected to leave following the conclusion of her contract with Paris Saint-Germain her likely destination.
Last summer, England striker Alessia Russo and Spain right-back Ona Batlle left the club following the expiration of their contracts, moving on free transfers to Arsenal and Barcelona respectively.
United ended the 2023-24 season as FA Cup winners but finished fifth in the Women’s Super League, their lowest finish since winning promotion to the top tier in 2018-19. Manager Marc Skinner signed a one-year contract extension, with the option for a further 12 months, in May.
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