Manchester United’s newly revamped training ground at Carrington has raised eyebrows. It received a £50 million upgrade. Yet the facility does not include a laundry room. Instead, the club will continue to outsource kit cleaning externally.
Big Upgrade, Missing Laundry
United began a heavy refurbishment of their Trafford Training Centre (a.k.a. Carrington) in 2024. The new version officially opened in August 2025. The goal was to update many parts. Namely – medical, gym, recovery, office space.
But in all that planning, no laundry facilities were included. Clinics, treatment rooms, lounges, and modern kit rooms are there. But no in-house laundry.
Why They Outsource
Manchester United already had a laundry partner: Ecolab has handled kit cleaning since 2021. That contract continues. Outsourcing gives tight control of quality, hygiene, and environmental impact via digital monitoring systems.
Club sources have not denied the omission. Some staff reportedly were surprised that, with the budget and space, the laundry was left out.
United : Impact & Reactions
For most people, “no laundry room” might seem odd, but the current setup likely won’t harm performance. The external laundry partner is well established and specialized.
Fans and critics see symbolic loss. Which was once “in the heart” of club daily life is now off-site. The old training grounds, like The Cliff, had in-house laundry as part of daily routine.
What It Signals for United
Leaving out such a practical feature suggests United’s shift toward outsourcing more “support” functions. It shows the club trusts external specialists over in-house operations. This is even for key day-to-day needs.
It may reflect cost control. It could also be a belief the outsourcing partner offers better quality or efficiency than doing it themselves.
Author’s Insight
This laundry omission is small in football-terms—but telling. It hints at a club comfortable offloading legacy tasks, trusting third parties, and optimizing what matters most: performance spaces, not back rooms. United has made big strides in modernization. Whether they traded internal control for efficiency—or symbolically gave up a bit of identity—is a debate fans will keep having.
As featured on ManUNews.com
