Revealed: The Man Utd star behind new barber shop as part of £50m Carrington training ground redevelopment following Cristiano Ronaldo collaboration

United have invested £50 million ($67m) in turning their Lancashire base into a state-of-the-art facility. An upgrade was considered to be long overdue, with CR7 among those to have questioned the lack of redevelopment.

When returning to English football in 2021 - following trophy-laden and record-shattering spells at Real Madrid and Juventus - Ronaldo revealed that not much had changed behind the scenes in Manchester during the 12 years he spent elsewhere.

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 [Alex] Ferguson left, I haven't seen an evolution at the club. Progress is zero. You have to tear it down and rebuild it."

Those words were eventually heeded, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the INEOS co-ownership group option to pump funds into facilities that help to ready players for the pursuit of precious Premier League points and major silverware.

United directors felt that Ronaldo’s criticism was harsh, but accepted the need for updates. On the ground level of the impressive new Carrington structure sits changing rooms, a gym, pool, and medical and massage areas - with The Sun reporting that a "flow system" has been introduced that allows players to visit areas in the right order before making their way out onto the grass.

Cryogenic chambers have also been installed, while gym facilities have been upgraded. Windows have been installed in corridors on the bottom floor following complaints from staff that movement through those hallways felt like visiting "a dingy NHS hospital". Open plan offices have been introduced in a bid to "improve collaboration between departments".

United have moved certain sectors over to Old Trafford, such as commercial, but have football operations all under one roof. Ruben Amorim’s senior squad are very much part of that group.

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They want to work with a smile on their face and with no distractions. The Red Devils are catering to every whim of highly-paid superstars. They do not need to head home or into the city to get a haircut.

Portugal international Dalot is, according to The Sun, "the one who pushed for a barber shop at Carrington – and even helped hire the hairdresser". Dalot is said to have "linked up one of his most trusted barber’s, Cal Newsome, with the gig to cut other players' hair at Carrington".

The versatile defender reached out to a man that he knows well and one that he has even set up "with his Portugal team-mate and football legend Cristiano Ronaldo".

With a specifically-designed barbers introduced, United are considered to boast "the first training ground in the UK with a dedicated hair-dressing salon". Facilities such as that, alongside the new swimming pool, are intended to "persuade the players to stay for longer, and not dash off home as soon as training is over".

Positive progress on the pitch has not happened as quickly as United would have liked, with consistency still proving to be elusive under Amorim. The Red Devils have, however, reached sixth spot in the Premier League table and are looking to secure a return to European competition for 2026-27.

Ambitious plans for a stunning new stadium have also been revealed, which will be constructed close to their current Old Trafford home, with that venture said to come with a £2 billion ($2.7bn) price tag. It has been claimed that the ground could be ready for the 2030-31 campaign.