Manchester United will start a £50 million (R1.1 billion) redevelopment of their creaking Carrington training headquarters next week as they look to transform it into a "world-class" facility.
British architects Foster + Partners will lead a project that will refurbish all areas of the building to "support future success", the Premier League club said in a statement on Friday.
It comes after a review of training facilities revealed standards had fallen below those of competitors, and following the opening of a state-of-the-art women's and academy building last year.
"We want to create a world-class environment for our teams to win," said United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe.
"When we conducted a thorough review of the Carrington training facilities and met with our men's first-team players, it was clear the standards had fallen below some of our peers.
"This project will ensure Manchester United's training ground is once more renovated to the highest standards."
The work is expected to last for the whole of the 2024/25 season, during which temporary adaptations will be made to accommodate players and staff.
Norman Foster, a star name in global architecture, has vowed to deliver a design to reflect the "spirit of industry, grit and ambition" of both the club and the city.
Foster has designed some of the world's most iconic buildings, including the HSBC Building in Hong Kong, London's "Gherkin" skyscraper and the reconstructed Reichstag in Berlin.
"As a proud Mancunian, it is a particular honour for me to see Foster + Partners given this responsibility and we will ensure that our design captures the spirit of industry, grit and ambition that exemplifies both Manchester and Manchester United," the architect said.
The review of the club's facilities also identified issues at Old Trafford, where a rainstorm during last month's 1-0 Premier League defeat by Arsenal spectacularly demonstrated a leaking roof at the stadium.
Ratcliffe is exploring options to either redevelop the existing venue or to build a new one on adjacent land.
The British billionaire took control of football operations at Old Trafford following his purchase of a 27.7 percent stake in the club earlier this year.
United have made sweeping changes to their backroom staff in recent months but manager Erik ten Hag is set to remain in his post after a post-season performance review.
A poor second campaign for the Dutchman ended on a high note as he led United to a shock 2-1 victory in the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City.
AFP