Manchester United have secured the future of another highly rated Academy star as Rúben Amorim’s club continue to build for the future.
Manchester United’s Academy has been a rare highlight in what has been a challenging 18 months for the club.
Although Erik ten Hag delivered an FA Cup win last season, his departure in October signalled the end of a turbulent reign. Rúben Amorim’s arrival has yet to bring the spark or consistency needed at first-team level.
Meanwhile, the youth setup is thriving. The U18s have stood out in particular, with the side boasting some of the best young talents across English football.
United have also added exciting prospects like Chido Obi and Sekou Kone to their ranks, while homegrown talents such as Gabriele Biancheri and Jaydan Kamason continue to rise and impress within the system.
United securing the future of Academy talents
Last week, news broke that United had convinced 14-year-old sensation JJ Gabriel, who made his debut for the club’s U18s team last season, scoring on three occasions, to stay despite significant interest from around the planet.
Gabriel is well known to be one of the brightest young talents across English and European Academies, and according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, a second young star has been tied down, too.
The report states that United have tied down 16-year-old centre-back Jayden Ngwashi to a new four-year contract to keep him at Carrington despite interest from English and European sides.
Ngwashi is said to be “highly rated” internally, having made appearances for England’s U17s as well as United’s U18s and U21s this season despite his novice age.
United could suffer a structural issue with their Academy
While convincing Gabriel and Ngwashi are major positives for the club, they are set to lose two of their most influential and senior figures this summer.
United’s Director of the Academy, Nick Cox, is leaving the club this summer to take up a new role with Everton as the Merseyside club’s Technical Director.
This is a significant loss for United, who see Cox as an integral part of their Academy process, and he is well-liked by all at the club.
United are also set to lose their U18s coach, Adam Lawrence, who wants to make the next step in his career, and hope to have a replacement in by the time the 2025/26 campaign gets underway.
However, in more positive news, Jonny Evans is set to stay at the club once his contract expires at the end of this month, as he is close to signing a new deal that would see the Irishman look after the loan deals put in place for younger players.
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