11 January 2024 , 09:57
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Manchester City have submitted plans for a £10million purpose-built training facility for their women’s team at the club’s Etihad complex.
The club have submitted the application to Manchester City Council for a 17,000-square-foot building close to the women's 7,000-seater Joie Stadium, the first and biggest purpose-built stadium in the Women’s Super League.
The stand-alone facility is set to include a hydrotherapy area, high-performance gym and analytics space and is “designed to enhance player development by mirroring the high-performance environment of the men’s first team”.
If plans are approved, the facility will open in 2025. A club statement added: “As well as benefitting from a private facility, the (women’s) team will continue to be a central part of the eco-system at the £200m City Football Academy, meaning they can take advantage of the resources and know-how across the organisation’s wider operations and facilities.”
Manchester City captain, Steph Houghton, who has been with the Club since its professional re-launch in 2014, said on the plans: “I’ve been incredibly proud to call the City Football Academy home for the past ten years and have seen first-hand how the integrated facilities we are a part of have contributed to the development of the women’s team.
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“My team-mates and I have benefitted massively from working with the coaches, researchers, nutritionists and everyone else on site who have helped us to develop as professional footballers and compete at the highest level.
“As we look to take the next step in our journey of developing the women’s game, it’s right that we now develop our own purpose-built home, at the heart of City Football Academy, and I'm thrilled the Club has the ambition and commitment to keep investing in our future.”
Khadija Shaw celebrates with Chloe Kelly during Manchester City's victory over Everton in the WSL (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)Gareth Taylor's side currently sit second in the women's top-flight, three points behind reigning champions Chelsea and level on points with Arsenal.
Taylor issued a resounding cry at the start of the season that his side would be the ones to upset the status quo established by Emma Hayes in the domestic arena. After a slight wobble mid-season, City have continued their mission, with striker Khadija Shaw topping the goal-scoring charts. City return to action when they travel to Durham in the FA Cup fourth round, before hosting Liverpool in the WSL the following weekend.
On the upcoming plans, City women’s managing director Charlotte O’Neill added: “As the team evolves, so do their needs and that’s why we continue to invest in the right facilities at the right stage in the team’s journey.
“By building a new, state-of-the-art facility, we will provide our players with a bespoke industry leading environment for them to train and recover together, and we believe this will further improve player welfare, and help attract even more talent to Manchester City and the next generation of aspiring women footballers.”