Jonny Evans, Manchester United’s new loan manager and head of pathways, has completed a smart deal to loan Habeeb Ogunneye to Newport County for this season.
While Manchester United have struggled to make signings and sell players for the first team, the academy business this summer has been excellent, including incomings and outgoings.
Matheus Cunha is the only definite first-team player to join the club, but United have also signed Diego Leon and Enzo Kana-Biyik, who are academy signings that could push for minutes in Rúben Amorim’s side soon, much like Sekou Kone.
Jonny Evans, who recently became head of pathways at Old Trafford, has also been busy this summer, securing loan deals for several young players who could benefit from time in a first-team setup.
The former central defender has shown that, despite his inexperience in the role, he is a brilliant choice for it, having already made use of the multi-club model in the Kana-Biyik loan deal to Laussane-Sport.
Evans’ next stroke of excellence has come in Habeeb Ogunneye’s loan move to Newport County, who play in League Two, where Ogunneye will be tested in a very physical competition.
Ogunneye reunites with Hughes at Newport
Loan moves can often be very daunting for young players, especially coming from United, because they drop down several divisions to play in a team where they don’t know anybody.
However, this pressure has been eased for Ogunneye as he is reunited with David Hughes at Newport, who was the former under-21s assistant manager aat United until as recently as May.
Hughes is also happy to be joined by Ogunneye at his new club, the Newport manager said: “I’m really pleased to get Habeeb on board. We’re also delighted that Manchester United have trusted us to help develop him and add to his progress on the next stage of his journey.
“I obviously worked with him for a couple of years at Manchester United. I know he’s a good character; a good young professional in the way he conducts himself and goes about his work on a daily basis. He’s going to be an excellent addition to the squad and will certainly increase the competition.
“He’s got loads of attributes and fits into the profile of what we’ve got in the squad – young, hungry, dynamic and really keen to improve. He’s got a good training mentality, which is important, and a willingness to push himself and challenge himself every day.
“First team football will be another challenge for him, but I think he’ll be another player our supporters will all really like.”
Evans continues to impress in new role
While Evans has only been in his new role for a matter of months, he has been a part of deals to send several prospects on loan, and he could’ve been involved in some transfers to the club as well.
Sonny Aljofree has also been affected by Evans’ new role at United, having recently made another loan move to League Two, he will spend the next campaign at Notts County.
Aljofree played in the same division last season for Accrington Stanley, but they finished just outside the relegation zone, while Notts County finished in the playoff places.
Evans will have used his experience as a defender to know what’s best for Aljofree; perhaps, he wants to see the young defender play in a more possession-based side before testing him in a higher league next season, or even in the second half of the campaign.
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