Last updated on .From the section Women's Football

Senior sources say it is likely to cost £5m for Manchester United to start a women's team from scratch

Manchester United have "finally dragged themselves into the 21st century" with plans for a senior women's team, says sports minister Tracey Crouch.

The Premier League club revealed on Wednesday that they have bid to join next season's women's second tier.

"It's great news," former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis told BBC Radio 5 live.

"In this day and age, it was a bit bizarre that Manchester United weren't being progressive in forming a team."

The Football Association - which runs the women's leagues in England - will not reveal whether the application has been successful until the end of May, after which United intend to hold trials.

But what has taken football's richest club so long, what will it cost and are they likely to succeed in the women's game?

Why the long wait?

Manchester United and Real Madrid are the only clubs among the world's top 10 richest teams not to have a women's side and the reaction to the Red Devils' change of heart has been welcomed by many, if suggested as long overdue.

United disbanded their senior women's team in February 2005, months before the Glazer family took charge and England hosted that year's women's European Championship.

The team was described as not being part of the club's "core business".

Explaining the decision at the time, United's then director of communications Philip Townsend said: "Our aims in the women's game are best served by concentrating on youngsters."

But in January, the FA announced an extra £50m worth of investment in women's and girls' football. Matches are increasingly being broadcast live on television and the Women's FA Cup final has been held at Wembley since 2015.

And it just so happens that the most successful team in the country right now are Manchester City. Coincidence?

Manchester City lifted their first Women's FA Cup at Wembley last season

How much will it cost?

Senior sources at Manchester United estimate the cost of setting up and running a women's team from scratch would be around £5m.

And it's estimated that it costs about £1m each year for the top two teams in the country - Manchester City and Chelsea - to run their operations.

But it can be done on a cheaper budget.

Yeovil Town Ladies stated in October that they would need £350,000 to stay in the top league of English women's football for next season. where players must be full-time, as per Football Association criteria.

United's annual budget may be less than that given their application is to join to the semi-professional Women's Super League 2, which will be known as the Women's Championship from next season.

It will all depend on what type of resources are on offer to the team, who they sign and how much they are paid, but the fact they are starting in the second tier means they can take baby steps before challenging in the top echelons of the game.

"I believe they will want to be the best," Brown-Finnis added. "So they'll want to try and compete with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City."

Who will be their big rivals?

Lyon have been crowned women's European champions four times since 2011

Up until their Continental Cup League Cup final defeat by Arsenal on 14 March, Manchester City held all three major trophies in English football.

They won the Women's Super League 1 title in the last full top-flight season in 2016 and lifted last year's FA Cup at Wembley in front of a record crowd of 35,271.

In recent seasons, they have battled with Chelsea for the major honours and both are hoping to ensure that two English sides reach the Champions League semi-finals for the first time.

Historically, Arsenal dominated English women's football, having won a record 14 Women's FA Cups.

And in Europe, French side Lyon have won back-to-back Champions League titles, reaching six of the past eight finals and winning four.

But, if selected, United will have to contend with more modest opposition in the second tier such as Doncaster Rovers Belles, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur and the bigger names in women's football will have to wait.

How far are United behind their rivals?

Arsenal, Chelsea and City have established squads full of experienced, international players, but it hasn't taken long for other new women's senior sides to enjoy success.

Italian giants Juventus formed their new women's team in 2017 and, as it stands, have won 16 league games out of 16 in their first Serie A season.

Additionally, Manchester City did not join the WSL until 2014, but within their first 12 months as a professional side, won their first trophy, the League Cup.

It took them only until their third full season to win their first league title and in 2016-17 they reached the last four in Europe.

England head coach Phil Neville said he would urge Manchester United to start a team when he was appointed in January

What reaction has there been?

Former Manchester United player Phil Neville, who said he would urge United to start a team when he was appointed England head coach in January, said the development was "great news for the women's game."

His response was echoed by former England captain, now a part of Neville's backroom staff, Casey Stoney, and the move has gone down well with some fans too.

Team GB hockey Olympic gold medal winner Kate Richardson-Walsh said: external-link "Frankly this is well overdue... Better late than never I suppose."

What next? Trials to be held in June

Analysis - BBC Sport's Simon Stone:

Club insiders are adamant that the women's team will be embedded with the ideals ingrained within the men's set-up.

So, there will be a strong commitment to the idea of bringing players through from the junior ranks into the first-team.

Trials will be held in June. But before that, United need a general manager and a head coach.

There is, of course, the possibility the Football Association will turn down the application.

However, given the clamour to get United into the women's game in the first place, that would seem most improbable.

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