PFA set to speak with Man United over poor management of women’s team

The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) will engage Manchester United in discussions over growing discontent concerning the club’s women’s team, according to The Athletic.

United are facing serious scrutiny and potential action over the women’s team’s facilities and future.

News broke earlier this week that the women’s squad will be moved out of their recently built £11 million training facility to accommodate the men’s team during the 2024/25 season.

The club is carrying out a £50 million redevelopment project at Carrington for the men’s first team, necessitating the temporary closure of their facilities.

United claim they explored relocating all teams elsewhere, but concerns about maintaining access to high-quality pitches and facilities led them to prioritise the men’s needs.

The PFA have decided to intervene due to concerns about the playing environment for the women’s team, who will be relocated to temporary portacabins.

This is not the first time such concerns have surfaced. In 2021, members of the women’s team approached the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), seeking support regarding conditions at the club.

The FA Cup win in 2024 was overshadowed by a fifth-place Women’s Super League (WSL) finish – their lowest since promotion in 2018/19.

New part-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe did not help with recent comments he made about the women’s team in an interview with Bloomberg.

Ratcliffe admitted that they had been focused on the men’s first team, saying: “We’ve been pretty much focused on how do we resolve the first-team issues, in that environment, and that’s been pretty full-time for the first six months.”

Key players such as Katie Zelem, Lucia Garcia and Mary Earps have all departed or are expected to leave, following the exits of Alessia Russo and Ona Batlle last summer.

Earps’ departure for Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer will sting, considering she is one of the best goalkeepers in Europe.

Man United have been criticised for their failure to prioritise their women’s team and must convince the PFA that they consider them important or could face potential action.