Liverpool buy back Melwood training ground
By Tom Gott
Liverpool have confirmed that they have struck a deal to buy back their former training ground, Melwood, as a new home for their women's team.
The Reds moved to Melwood in the 1950s and watched as former boss Bill Shankly transformed the complex into an elite training facility. They remained there until a switch to their current site in Kirkby in 2020, but were heavily criticised when the women were left out of that move.
Melwood was expected to be demolished and repurposed for housing. But the project has since fallen through, and Liverpool have confirmed it is back in their possession as a new centre for the women's, who have been based at Tranmere's training ground until now.
"This is a truly historic moment for Liverpool Football Club and the continued desire of the LFC women’s board to elevate and develop our women’s first team and category one professional game academy," said managing director Andy Hughes.
READ THE LATEST LIVERPOOL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS & GOSSIP
feed
"Now is the right time to make this move and we’re absolutely delighted that we’ve managed to take this opportunity to return to Melwood and to see it start a new chapter of Liverpool’s commitment to our women’s first team and academy.
"We also have an opportunity to further develop the use of the site to support the local community by using it as an additional base for LFC Foundation."
Liverpool Women had been on the hunt for a new training complex for the past 12 months and eventually settled on a return to Melwood.
Matt Beard's side finished seventh in the Women's Super League last season in their first year back in the top flight, having won the 2021/22 Women's Championship.
LISTEN NOW
On this week's edition of Talking Transfers, part of the 90min podcast network, Scott Saunders is joined by Toby Cudworth and Graeme Bailey to discuss Ange Postecoglou's appointment at Spurs, Man Utd chasing Rasmus Hojlund, Harry Kane to Real Madrid, Lionel Messi & more!
If you can't see this embed, click here to listen to the podcast!