INEOS have ruffled feathers in Man Utd's women's team. (Image: GETTY)
Manchester United will reportedly shift their women's team into portable buildings while renovation work takes place at the club's Carrington training complex this season. The £50million redevelopment, which commenced on Monday, will see the men's team use the women's facilities throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
United invested £10m into opening a state-of-the-art building for the club's women's and academy sides last summer.
However, they are said to have given the men's first team priority usage over the next year, a decision that has unsurprisingly sparked criticism.
According to The Guardian, the women's squad and staff will use the same training pitches and canteen at Carrington as part of the makeshift arrangement.
United are claimed to have explored a variety of options when considering where to house the women's side of the club's operations this season, including a temporary relocation.
But after a decision to stay at Carrington, they will be based in portable buildings featuring changing rooms, team meeting rooms, office spaces and communal areas.
New United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe - already possessing total control over football operations despite purchasing a minority stake - has already come under fire for his attitude towards the women's team.
He fuelled criticism during a recent interview with Bloomberg, where he described the men's side as United's 'first team' and admitted that was where INEOS' priority lay.
Carrington is undergoing a £50m revamp. (Image: Getty)
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"We've been pretty much focused on how do we resolve the first-team issues, in that environment, and that's been pretty full-time for the first six months," Ratcliffe explained.
The report adds that United's decision to move the women's squad and staff into portable buildings has been met with disappointment among some of those affected.
The Red Devils' £10m redevelopment of their women's and academy home is believed to have improved morale by making training more enjoyable.
But more worryingly, there is said to be a growing fear across the squad that United don't view their women's team as a priority.
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United reportedly believe it will be a case of short-term pain for long-term gain, hoping their planned changes at Carrington will support a drive for success across all departments.
After announcing the £50m project, United said: "Temporary adaptations will be made to the rest of the Carrington site to ensure players and staff from all our teams can continue to operate successfully next season."
The adaptations in question aren't likely to inspire much improvement from last season's Women's FA Cup triumph and fifth-place WSL finish.
Especially with star goalkeeper Mary Earps set to leave for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer.
