Manchester United: Louis van Gaal granted wish to install floodlights at Carrington training facility

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has got his wish after the Trafford Council granted the club permission to install flood lights at their Carrington training facility.

The Dutchman was keen that his players train in the evening and according to the BBC, it was done to replicate conditions of games that are played in midweek and also late afternoons.

Van Gaal has overseen plenty of changes since his arrival at Old Trafford last summer and has made sure that he gets the facility to his liking ahead of the next season.

The main pitch at the training centre has been relaid and he has also had HD cameras installed all along the facility to track players' movements during the training sessions. Apart from that, the Red Devils boss has asked for trees to be planted around the facility to shelter it from the wind.

The council has now granted the manager's wish of floodlights after the club reportedly assured them that the poles erected to fix the lights would not affect the surrounding businesses or the local bat population.

United's planning application made it clear that this change was being made to improve training methods and ensure the training centre maintains its status as one of the best facilities in the world.

"The proposed floodlighting and fencing are essential to improving the usability and function of the AON Training Centre, improving the training methods that are being adopted by the Club and
ensuring that the training centre maintains its status as a world class facility," the statement read, as quoted by Sky Sports.

The work on the floodlights along the eight training pitches is said to begin shortly and it is believed that it will be ready to use by the start of next season.