Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has seen £50m of his investment returned on Friday afternoon, but it will not be until next year that he discovers whether it was worth it
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks on after the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham
Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks on after the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham
(Image: Nicolò Campo/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Manchester United's key dignitaries were out in force on Friday afternoon as the club reopened their Carrington training ground a week prior to the start of the new Premier League season.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the impressive new facility which has been billed as a 'a world-class performance environment for staff and players'. It is a far cry from the scathing review that Cristiano Ronaldo gave in his infamous Piers Morgan interview.
He effectively described the facilities as being out-dated and said that the Reds had 'stopped the clock' from when he was first making his name at Old Trafford. In total, Ratcliffe has spent £50m on the new facility, which should not affect the Reds' Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) position.
Clubs are allowed to invest in their infrastructure - like training grounds - without the fear of hampering their losses generated. This deductable investment meant it was perhaps a no-brainer for Ineos to open their chequebook early and get the work underway.
However, it will not be until January, at the earliest, that we will see whether or not this investment has been worth it. United supporters will not see the benefits of the new training ground immediately.
The players will only have been using it for a week before Arsenal arrive at Old Trafford. But, once the club reaches January, we shall see whether the new environment at Carrington is fostering better performances on the pitch.
What's more, January marks the start of the mid-season transfer window. United have proven in this window that they can still compete with clubs for players even when they are not in the Champions League.
Should they enter that window and be in need of a signing that can turn the tide in their favour, it will be interesting to see whether the £50m new Carrington can entice top talent to sign. You have to wonder whether Jude Bellingham, for instance, would have chosen Borussia Dortmund all those years ago had Carrington kept pace with the 21st century.
In truth, this new training ground was always going to be more important to United in the short term than a new stadium. While the new Old Trafford will diversify income streams and give supporters something to be proud of, Carrington should improve results on the pitch much quicker.
If it doesn't, questions will likely be asked and further big decisions shall be made.
Here at The Manchester Evening News, we are dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.
Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.
You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.
And, finally, if you would rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.