Manchester United submit application to establish women's team

United, men's league champions 20 times, have been for some time the most high-profile side without a professional women's team.

They have been highly criticised for that omission, with the club offering poor responses when pressed why.

On Wednesday evening the club released a statement saying that they had submitted an application to the FA about joining the Women's Super League.

They would join WSL 2, the second tier of the Super League.

The statement in full read: "Manchester United has submitted an application to the Football Association to establish a professional women’s team in the second tier of the Women’s Super League.

"If successful, the move would provide a career pathway for players who graduate from the long-established and highly successful Girls' Regional Talent Club, which has seen some 15 of its graduates playing international football this season alone.

"The squad would be based at the club's historic training centre at The Cliff."

Speaking to the club's website Ed Woodward said "We are pleased to announce that the club intends to establish its first ever professional women’s team and has submitted an application to enter WSL2.

"The FA has provided excellent support through the process and we believe that launching a team in WSL2 would give many more of our graduates from the Regional Talent Club the chance to establish themselves as first-team players.

"The Manchester United women’s team must be built in the same image and with the same principles as the men's first team and offer academy players a clear route to top-level football within the club."