Ipswich Town are preparing to monitor their players’ urine as part of an extraordinary £30million training ground transformation designed to give Gary O’Neil’s side an edge in the Premier League.
The Tractor Boys have invested heavily in upgrading their Playford Road headquarters, with a host of cutting-edge additions introduced as the club prepare for another attempt at establishing themselves in the top flight.
Among the more unusual innovations are specialist urinals which players will sign into before using, according to the East Anglian Daily Times.
The technology will allow Ipswich’s performance staff to analyse samples and monitor hydration levels, providing another stream of data on the condition of O’Neil’s squad.
It is just one element of an extensive redevelopment which began almost 12 months ago and is intended to transform facilities for the men’s and women’s teams as well as the club’s academy.
Playford Road had previously undergone its last significant renovation in the early 2000s.
By the time Ipswich reached the Premier League for the 2024-25 campaign, the facilities were considered inadequate for a modern top-flight club, with players operating across ageing buildings and temporary Portakabins.
Those surroundings have now been dramatically transformed.
Ipswich Town are preparing to monitor their players’ urine as part of an extraordinary £30million training ground transformation designed to give Gary O’Neil’s side an edge in the Premier League
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Ipswich have installed specialist boot-drying equipment based on technology used at Austrian ski resorts, while a bone density scanner has been brought over from the United States.
The latter will enable the club to carry out more medical examinations on site rather than relying on external facilities.
Players will also benefit from a new hydrotherapy pool, hyperbaric chambers and a cold plunge as Ipswich look to improve their recovery operation.
A state-of-the-art gym has been constructed alongside an altitude training room, further strengthening the sports science facilities available to O’Neil and his staff.
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Chairman Mark Ashton believes the redevelopment has given Ipswich facilities capable of competing with some of the Premier League’s biggest clubs.
“There’s nothing like this in east of England,” Ashton said. “You probably have to go as far as Tottenham to find something on this level.
“Is it helping attract players? For sure. I remember standing with Liam Delap in a muddy field here trying to sell him the vision.
“Now I’m not having to tell prospective signings that there’s something going to come two years down the line, maybe, if we get planning permission.”
The new-look training ground has also become an important weapon when recruiting staff.
Ashton revealed that Playford Road helped him sell Ipswich’s project to O’Neil before the former Strasbourg boss took charge earlier this summer.
Ipswich’s ambitions have grown significantly since American investment fund ORG completed its takeover in 2021.
Three Lions and Clara Vista Partners subsequently invested, with Portman Holdings LLC becoming the club’s new majority shareholder in December 2025.
Ipswich Town secured promotion to the Premier League last year
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That backing has also been evident in the transfer market as Ipswich attempt to avoid another short-lived stay among England’s elite.
O’Neil has raided former club Strasbourg to bring Julio Enciso and Abdoul Ouattara to Portman Road in a package potentially worth £47.3m.
Those deals followed another busy period of recruitment, with Ipswich having already signed 10 players since the summer window opened.
After previously entering the Premier League with facilities struggling to keep pace with their rapid rise, Ipswich believe they are now considerably better equipped for the challenge.
