Liverpool Buy Back Melwood Training Ground

Liverpool Football Club have completed a historic repurchase of their legendary training ground, Melwood, with intentions to bring an elite complex to the women’s first team and academy.

Melwood had been the home of Liverpool’s first team for about 70 years from the time of Bill Shankly in the 1950s to the Jurgen Klopp era in 2020.

The departure from Melwood was bittersweet at the time. So much history floods the pitches and facilities at the ground. Players lacing up their boots where Liverpool icons once did the same made Melwood more than just a training ground. It had an aura steeped in a tradition of unrivaled success.

However, like Shankly, Jurgen Klopp envisioned a more advanced complex with a greater purpose.

Liverpool’s first team moved to their new state-of-the-art home in the autumn of 2020. The AXA Training Centre brought Liverpool to football’s modern era, and by developing the facilities at Kirkby, the academy and the first time trained at the same location. Jurgen Klopp voiced his support for this cohesiveness within the club and with the recent rise of youngsters like Stefan Bajcetic, perhaps the gaffer had a point.

Liverpool’s Kirkby move saw Melwood sold to Torus in a bid to build more affordable housing on Merseyside. However, in 2019 Liverpool legends Jamie Carragher and Robbie Fowler worked to make Melwood the home of their academy and plans changed.

Now, Melwood is back in the club’s hands and will be momentous in elevating the women’s game.

Liverpool’s managing director, Andy Hughes, said this about the purchase.

"”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.”"

Liverpool will be looking to do plenty of investment in the men’s first team this summer, but this move signifies the club’s intentions to further develop all aspects of the club.