Inside the stunning Newcastle United training ground transformation that 'had to be done'

Dubravka left Newcastle in August to join Manchester United on loan. Back then, the club's training ground was very much still a building site with work under way to complete side and rear extensions to the main building.

But upon returning to Newcastle in January, Dubravka was in for a bit of a surprise as the club's Benton training base was significantly different from the one he left 123 days prior. Under the club's previous ownership, the training facilities had been neglected and appeared a couple of decades out of date with Dubravka admitting a rebuild was needed.

But plans were promptly submitted to improve the training ground last year which were approved by North Tyneside Council in June 2022. Building work has been ongoing since then and is now close to completion. Reflecting on his return to the training ground after four months away, Dubravka said: "The dressing room was completely new. I spent five years here and it was nice, but it needed to be rebuilt.

"The canteen was completely transformed - you have so much space. You have so many people now here, who work here, even the physio room - it's much bigger...so many physios here now."

With Newcastle currently sitting third in the Premier League table heading into the final five games of the season, they finally have a training ground somewhat fitting of a top-flight club. In addition to the building upgrades, hydrotherapy pools and cryotherapy chambers are now in place for the first time - a purpose-built footvolley court has also been installed

"I'm glad that this improved because it had to be done," the goalkeeper said in the matchday programme. "You can tell in recent years they didn't invest as much as they could, probably, and as much as the club deserved.

"We are in a position now where we can really achieve good things. The training ground looks great now. You feel much better here, you like to spend time here.

"You're coming into a nice environment. The people have always been nice here - that's a good thing - and our group of people is very close, very tight. Everyone knows what to do, what to expect from each other. It's improved in a good way, almost in every aspect."