Erik ten Hag finally secures Man Utd investment that Cristiano Ronaldo was crying out for

Manchester United is on the cusp of a new era.

After years of questionable decisions under the Glazers, Ineos' takeover of soccer operations at Old Trafford seems to be a promising development. With the countdown to the new season officially on, there's a newfound optimism in M16.

The club is making strides in the transfer market at breakneck speed, with Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee firmly in their sights. United has also had a bid accepted for highly-rated Lille defender Leny Yoro, who was recently linked with Liverpool.

United is keen to inject some fresh blood into its squad this summer, and just the fact its pursuing the likes of De Ligt and Yoro has given fans a much-needed lift ahead of the new season. But it's not just on the pitch where Ineos is looking to make an impact.

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Having secured a minority stake earlier this year, it was immediately clear that the petrochemicals giant wanted to enhance all aspects of the club, including its facilities. Ineos boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe hasn't been shy about his desire to knock down Old Trafford and build a new stadium that would cater not just to United fans but to the entire north of England.

Ineos also made no bones about the fact that United's Carrington training base was in dire need of an upgrade. The club's training ground has lagged behind its top competitors, lacking the cutting-edge facilities a club of United's calibre should be offering its players.

Last month, United announced plans to kick off a major revamp of the men's first team building. The £50 million ($64.2 million) project is set to elevate the club's facilities to an elite level that matches United's reputation.

United gaffer Erik ten Hag shared his excitement with the club's media, saying: "We really have something to look forward to, being constructed [here], and that will be the best training ground in English football, but the most important is now.

"We live today and they did a great job to make this work and make this facility work to a professional condition, so we can work professionally. Four weeks ago here, it was chaotic, now it's set up so professionally. We have a compact training ground, we have everything nearby, in good conditions, in good standards."

Ineos' commitment to revamping Carrington has been a significant move for United, especially after the training grounds faced criticism from several quarters, including from former United star Cristiano Ronaldo. Reflecting on his return to the club in August 2021, Ronaldo expressed his surprise in a chat with Piers Morgan in November 2022.

Ronaldo said: "Nothing changed, surprisingly. Not only the pool, the jacuzzi, even the gym. Even the kitchen, the chefs, whom I appreciate - lovely people. They stopped in time. It surprised me a lot. I thought I would see other things, technologies, and infrastructure. Unfortunately, we see a lot of what I used to see at 21, 22, and 23 years old. It really surprised me.

"Since (Sir Alex) Ferguson left, I haven't seen an evolution at the club. Progress is zero. You have to tear it down and rebuild it. If they start with me, it's not a problem."

With Ineos making its mark, transformations that have been needed for some time are finally taking place. Those who are based mostly at Carrington such as United's first-team players and staff will directly benefit from modifications to the principal site.

While new player additions in the summer will undoubtedly thrill the fans, Ineos' dedication to upgrading the existing facilities may prove to be the biggest triumph yet. This certainly appears to have sparked enthusiasm in Ten Hag.

Liverpool.com says: Ronaldo was right - it's about time United improved its training ground. Liverpool also has a state-of-the-art facility, the AXA Training Centre.