MANCHESTER UNITED chiefs reportedly “feel like they are turning a corner” after the club’s FA Youth Cup success – despite the first-team’s misery.
The Red Devils have missed out on Champions League qualification and face a huge fight to even finish in the top six after a traumatic campaign.
Man Utd chiefs the FA Youth Cup success shows their long-term strategy for the club is working Credit: Getty
The senior Red Devils are struggling to finish in the top six this term Credit: Getty Interim boss Ralf Rangnick’s arrival before Christmas failed to transform their disappointing season.
Now it will be incoming manager Erik ten Hag who will be tasked with turning round the club once he takes charge after leaving Ajax this summer.
However, there was some good news for them this week as nearly 70,000 fans packed into Old Trafford to watch the next generation of United stars run out 3-1 winners against Nottingham Forest in the FA Youth Cup Final.
Skipper Reece Bennett put United in front just 13 minutes into the final, crashing home a header from a free-kick.
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Frenkie de Jong transfer ‘AGREED by Xavi’, Richarlison and Darwin Nunez wanted Josh Powell then levelled things up for Forest on the stroke of half-time.
But Alejandro Garnacho, who made his senior debut against Chelsea last month, struck twice in the second half to secure the trophy.
And despite knowing they are still “big issues” to sort out with the seniors, the success of the kids “is being seen by people within the club that the strategy they have for getting out of the mess they are in is the right one,” claims the BBC.
United’s football director John Murtough has overseen a huge overhaul of United’s academy over recent years after they felt it had slipped behind some of their rivals.
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Nick Cox was then brought in as head of academy while Travis Binnion, who guided the youngsters to their cup glory, took over the U18s.
Now the mix of local and international players that played in this week’s final is allegedly “being seen as evidence of the revamp working” by United chiefs.
Previous chief transfer negotiator Matt Judge and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward’s departures now mean that Murtough will play a key role in recruitment under Ten Hag.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
