Redevloping the PPG Canalside training ground was essential for Huddersfield Town to progress.

That’s the view of boss David Wagner, who revealed the £20m project was approved when Town stayed in the Premier League last season.

“This is crucial. It is a big, big step in the club’s future - to be consistently a part of the top teams in England we really need it,” said Wagner.

“Unfortunately, now, it will take 18 to 24 months until everything is done, but I am very happy everything is agreed and that work can now start, because this will be massive for this football club for the future.

“To still improve and progress we have a lot of improvements to make, for sure, and this is a major step for the future of the club.”

Wagner was closely involved in the planning.

“I shared my ideas,” he said. “Because, more or less from the first day I arrived, I said we should have been better here at the football club .

“It has taken us nearly three years that we are able to start the progress in terms of the facility.

“I think from the football side we have taken the steps so the football club was able to invest in this very important area.

“This will be a proper Premier League football club facility.

“It will be somewhere you really can try to get quality into your football club and where you can educate and build quality, not only for the first team but for the Academy.

This will be massive for the future of the club in producing and developing young football players – and maybe more Academy players can develop through to the first team as well.”

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Is the plan dependent on retaining Premier League status?

“No. Everything is now agreed,” said the boss.

“It depended on our survival last season. This was what Dean said to me.

“And as soon as we stayed up last season, it was clear the football club would create this facility.

“This does not mean it depends on Premier League survival in the next years – this building, this facility will come whatever happens in the future.

“Of course, maybe we can improve it even further if we stay in the Premier League for some further seasons so, even in the new facilities, I think there is space to improve if necessary and if possible.

“But it is up to us. Like in the past, it is very important that we from the football side do our work before we ask for something more.

“The football club is paying back in the knowledge that it helps for the future.”