Man Utd's U-21s make Carrington switch

Manchester United Women’s Under-21 side will train at Carrington this season in what club officials believe is a landmark move that shows the commitment of the club to youth development.

While United’s senior squad moved back into their bespoke £7m facility at Carrington following the completion of a wider £50m upgrade in August 2025 that temporarily saw them moved into portable buildings, the Under-21 group have trained at Leigh Sports Village, 15 miles away.

United finished last season in fourth place behind Arsenal in the Under-21 table but won the Professional Game Academy Plate by beating Durham in the final.

The club’s commitment to the women’s side has been questioned, particularly over a perceived lack of investment into Marc Skinner’s senior squad.

However, they feel this move, which they say will allow for closer integration with the first-team and mean the players can use state of the art equipment, will have huge benefits.

“Embedding our Under21s squad at Carrington Training Complex is another significant milestone in the evolution of Manchester United Women,” said director of women’s football, Matt Johnson.

“Providing our players with an elite environment, surrounded by the highest standard of facilities and expertise, reflects our ambition and vision for the Academy and is a further sign of the importance that we are placing on our commitment to developing outstanding homegrown talent.

“The increased alignment with our first-team operations will optimise performance and serve as a significant source of motivation for our young players.”

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