Man City submit plans for new women's training ground

Manchester City have submitted plans to build a £10m training facility for their women's team.

Based on their current site at the City Football Academy, the facility will open in 2025 if plans are approved.

It comes after City became the first Women's Super League club to sign a naming rights deal for their women's stadium last year.

The new facility will feature a hydrotherapy area, a high-performance gym and an analytics space.

Captain Steph Houghton said: "I've been incredibly proud to call the City Football Academy home for the past 10 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.

"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."

The women's team currently share a building with the academy teams at the club - although they have their own pitches - while the men's first team have their own area.

Earlier this season, the club renamed their women's home ground the Joie Stadium in a sponsorship deal believed to be the biggest for a purpose-built women's stadium in England.

The plans come after several Women's Super League clubs have taken steps to improve facilities and further integrate their respective women's teams.

Liverpool bought back their old Melwood training ground for the women's team to use while Manchester United unveiled a new £7m women's training facility at their Carrington training ground in October.