Initially United had to wait to find out their opponent having drawn the winner of Bolton Wanderers vs Derby County.

Derby booked themselves a visit to Manchester earlier this week with a triumphant 4-1 victory over Bolton.

The young Reds’ opening match will be a treat for them as they will be given the rare opportunity to take the pitch at Old Trafford.

The match will be on Tuesday, December 19th at Old Trafford with kick off scheduled for 19:00 GMT and tickets available for just £3 to adults and £1.50 for under-16s.

The FA Youth Cup is a historical competition which is prided throughout the country dating back to 1952.

With United’s famed academy it is no surprise that they lead to charts as the most successful club in the competition with 11 wins, the latest of which came recently in 2022.

Less than two years on and two of the cup winners in Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo are proving how meaningful the competition is as they now replicate their performances in Erik ten Hag’s first team.

Others involved in the 2022 cup winning squad include Dan Gore, Omari Forson, and Joe Hugill, who have featured in Ten Hag’s squads already this season.

Currently leading the u18s Premier League with nine wins in nine, Manchester United are certain to be among the favourites for this year’s FA Youth Cup.

An extremely deep squad, 18 different players have scored for the club in their opening nine league wins.

Notable players to look out for in this year’s competition are Darren Fletcher’s twin sons Tyler and Jack who have impressed since their move from cross town rivals Manchester City and Ethan Williams and Elyh Harrison who have already been spending the early parts of the season with the u21s.

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The news of the postponement came just an hour before the expected kick-off which was not early enough to stop a string of supporters being left disappointed as they arrived at Tottenham’s training ground, Hotspur Way.

A small team of security guards working the entrance were left to break the news to the approaching fans who were forced to turn around and head home.

Tottenham announced the postponement on their official website and added that “a new date for the game will be announced in due course.”

The postponement comes after two schedule changes to the fixture in recent weeks.

After originally being scheduled to take place at Stevenage’s Lamex Stadium, the match had to be moved to Hotspur Way due to a clash with Stevenage’s FA Cup match with Port Vale.

The proposed kick-off time was then subsequently changed yesterday with an announcement that the match would be pushed back an hour to 13:00 GMT.

A disappointing day for supporters was also a disappointing day for United’s young travelling squad which included a number of u18s players looking for their first taste of u21s football.

Travis Binnion’s u21s have been off to a mixed start to the season as they sit 12th out of 26 in the PL2’s new look competition with 11 points from 8 matches.

With their last match having been on November 4th, the postponement could shockingly see United’s u21s play just one match in a 10 week period.

It is a situation which raises the question of whether the Premier League 2 really serves its purpose of developing young players, with a number of United’s top young talents currently averaging less than two matches a month.

The team’s next match is scheduled for December 18th when they will host Newcastle United.

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Erik ten Hag, the Manchester United manager, has recently commented on how important bringing through young players is to the culture of the club. There is no doubt in the Dutchman’s mind who should be credited for this.

The manager praised Darren Fletcher’s role in helping to bring through the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo.

According to TNT Sports (via Eurosport), the Dutchman believes that using academy products like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo makes up a huge part of the “DNA” of Manchester United and helps give the club an “identity”.

Both teenagers have impressed recently. The Argentinian forward has scored two goals in his last two games, while the young Englishman put in an incredibly mature performance versus Everton and also made an assured contribution off the bench in Istanbul.

When the United manager was asked about bringing players thorough from the academy he claimed, “I think it’s in the DNA of Manchester United; the Busby Babes, the Class of ’92”.

The Peoples Person recently reported on the fact that the club seem to be returning to this mantra as the squad last Sunday contained three of 2022 Youth Cup winning side.

The former Twente player mentioned that “developing players into the first team should be one key area of Manchester United because this club is very successful with it”.

The former Ajax coach should know what he is talking about, as the Dutch giants, like United, are another club that prides itself on bringing through young players of the highest quality.

Ten Hag went on to say another advantage of bringing through young players is that they will have a strong connection with the team and also with the fans. For example, other academy players on display at Everton last weekend were Marcus Rashford and Scott McTominay. Despite a poor start to the season this time around, Rashford was voted the club’s player of the season last season.

Furthermore, McTominay was recently voted the club’s player of the month for October after an extended run in the side that saw him score some goals, crucially a late double to defeat Brentford at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag was critical of the youth setup when he arrived and described it as “isolated” from the first team. The Dutch coach lauded the work of technical director, Darren Fletcher, who has been seen as an important reason why the relationship between the youth and first team has improved of late.

The Man United manager stated, “we improved the connection. Darren Fletcher plays an important role with that, his connection with the Under-21s and academy. That connection is much better than before”.

Finally, the coach claimed that everyone is now beginning to see the fruit of his and the club’s labour as young players are often involved in first-team training, after getting their foundation in the academy and working “day by day with good strategies” put in place to ease development of the players.

Yesterday, The Peoples Person reported that Fletcher’s own son, Jack, at only 16, has massively impressed the manager and was given the opportunity to train with the senior team before their recent Champions League game against Galatasaray.

Giving young players a chance and watching them grow into a first team is something most United fans take great pride in. With an uncertain takeover future and a massive uphill task to be competitive this season, maybe giving youth a chance is a path to a happier future for fans of the club.

The post Erik ten Hag claims Darren Fletcher has played key role in Manchester United’s recent youth success appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

A close friend of the Hansen-Aaroen family, Jonas Johansen is a fellow Tromso native who is currently the sporting director for Tromso IL’s women’s team after ending his playing career with Tromso IL, the same club Isak Hansen-Aaroen was signed from.

Having recently impressed for the club’s u21s and internationally for Norway’s u21s, fans of United have been clamouring to see Hansen-Aaroen involved under Erik ten Hag but the latest news will leave many disappointed.

Having previously alluded to a disagreement with the club regarding his future, the 19-year-old’s personal coach has now questioned it further by saying, “It might happen that something happens to him this winter, either a loan or a permanent transfer, probably one of the two.”

Johansen recognised the difficult task of breaking through into a side like United adding, “It’s Manchester United, perhaps the most challenging club to break into for a young boy.”

“He has immense trust in feedback from me, and I know he struggles to accept feedback from others. He understands I’m trying to influence him in the best way possible. It’s not easy for any guy to grow up, move to Manchester during Corona, and be more or less alone.”

The disagreement between Hansen-Aaroen’s camp and the club seems to be whether he will sign a new contract and head out on loan or will depart the club permanently.

In September, The Peoples Person had reported about this conflict. The young midfielder had said, “There was talk of something different, but I don’t want to say too much about it. There was some stuff, but we didn’t quite agree.”

He then ominously added “you will find out in a few months. There is a lot of interest. If we wanted it to be a loan, I know we could go.”

The suggestion that it is not a loan move that the youngster is looking for but rather a permanent move is now compounded with Johansen’s words. “I think one or two loans is what they’re thinking. Then it’s up to Isak and his family to consider if that’s the smartest thing.”

“I would probably advise him to start fresh and find a new club where he’s part of the core, to fight his way in there. We’ll see if they do that.”

Signed over three years ago after making his senior debut for Tromso at just 15, Hansen-Aaroen has delighted youth followers with his silky and creative football but signs are suggesting now that his large following of supporters may not be tantalised by his quick feet in the red of Manchester United for much longer.

Fans of the club can only sit and hope that the club’s management will be able to convince the supremely talented midfielder to quench his thirst for senior football with a loan move for now rather than a complete departure.

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However, the club has gotten so bad when it comes to offloading players for a sizeable fee that only a few first-team stars ended up leaving, forcing the club to sell plenty of academy products.

United ended up offloading academy graduates like Anthony Elanga, Matej Kovar, Dean Henderson, and Marc Jurado in the summer just to name a few.

Forson’s breakthrough season

However, this does not imply the manager does not trust the academy as he has already given the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo their breakthroughs last season.

One player whom the manager seems to like, as evidenced from pre-season, is Omari Forson. The 19-year-old was extensively used during pre-season with the manager wanting a left-footed profile on the right wing.

The teen sensation can also play on the other wing and even as the attacking midfielder, with versatility a trait Ten Hag loves in his players.

The England U20 international has shone for the academy side, scoring seven goals in eight games across all competitions while also registering a couple of assists.

His red-hot form for the reserves has seen Ten Hag select him in the matchday squad for two Champions League games, the away games against Bayern Munich and Copenhagen.

The winger was attracting plenty of interest from Premier League sides as well as other European clubs with his United contract expiring next summer. There were even reports of a breakdown in negotiations between the parties.

Set to sign new contract

Now as per The Manchester Evening News, United are hopeful of agreeing a new deal with the youngster before the start of the new year so as to block the player from agreeing a pre-agreement with any other club.

“Manchester United youngster Omari Forson is set to sign a new contract at the club. Forson’s contract with United expires at the end of the season, but the Manchester Evening News understands he’s set to sign a new deal in recognition of his progression.

“Forson, who is yet to make his first-team debut, will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs in January, which means he’s set to sign his new contract at United before the New Year.”

The report also mentions that Forson is a regular during first-team training sessions and is highly regarded among the United coaching staff with the coaches feeling “he’ll be the next academy product to be handed his senior debut.”

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The 17 year old has started the season impressively with five goals to his name in all competitions.

A regular starter for United’s u19s in the UEFA Youth League, Wheatley has been splitting his time in the league between the u18s and u21s.

Manchester World said they have been told “talks are at an advanced stage, although no announcement is expected to be confirmed this side of Christmas.”

It is also reported that the young forward “has attracted tentative interest from elsewhere but is happy at United and has no plans to look for a move elsewhere.”

A centre forward by trade, Wheatley often towers over his teammates and opposition but does not model his game around his size.

Despite good hold up play, he is not a simple target man but rather enjoys running the channels and drifting wide to utilise the space.

With a decent technical standard, Wheatley often keeps it simple but smart with his passing and his dribbling is effective while looking unorthodox due to his wiry frame.

Starting the season in fine form, the striker topped the scoring charts at the prodigious Otten Cup in the summer with 5 goals.

His scoring rate has continued into the season with an incredible record of a goal every 100 minutes, which includes the below sensational run against Reading’s u18s.

What a goal from Ethan Wheatley! #MUFC #MUAcademy pic.twitter.com/Nl3urnPpfi

— Manchester United Academy (@RedYouthUnited) September 2, 2023

With United keen to tie him down, it would not be surprising to see him promoted to the u21s full time come the turn of the new year.

He is not the only academy star set for a new contract though, as Manchester World also report that the club are looking to offer Omari Forson a new long term deal after he impressed Erik Ten Hag in pre-season.

The post Ethan Wheatley close to signing first pro deal at Manchester United appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

The young English side are in Spain for the international break partaking in a mini tournament with Romania, Japan, and Mexico.

After featuring off the bench for 30 minutes in England’s dominating 6-0 win over Romania, Mainoo started from the off against Japan and reportedly donned the captain’s armband.

Playing in the heart of the midfield, Mainoo helped England secure an early two goal lead through Jacob Wright and Will Lankshear.

It looked like England and Mainoo were off to another easy victory but a lapse in the opening five minutes of the second half saw Japan pull two back.

Initially catching out England attempting an offside trap, Shiogai Kento applied a simple finish for Japan’s first.

Then two minutes later, Kento doubled his tally to draw it level, this time with a cracking shot from the edge of the box into the top of the net.

Eventually, Mainoo made way in the 76th minute and it was his replacement Jamie Donley who would make the last impression.

Donley, a forward with Tottenham Hotspur, scored from close range in injury time to seal the win for England.

United’s other star in the u19s setup is keeper Elyh Harrison who unfortunately didn’t feature in either of the opening two fixtures.

But as one of only three 2006 born players in the squad, it is impressive that Harrison has been called up above his age group and understandable that his time to play will come.

England u19s will finish out their time in Spain with a final fixture against Mexico on Tuesday in which Mainoo is expected to feature again.

The post Kobbie Mainoo shines for England u19s in Marbella appeared first on Man United News And Transfer News | The Peoples Person.

A legend in the sky blue of Manchester City, Alex Williams is well known to any English football fan in the 1980s but lesser known is his nephew, who is making a name for himself in red.

Ethan Williams has been rising through United’s ranks and impressed again just last night with a late equaliser for Manchester United’s u21s away to Fulham.

The 17 year old has started the season in hot form, scoring five already and averaging a goal or assist every 80 minutes across the u18s and u21s.

Ethan Williams last minute equaliser to make it 1-1 #MUFC #MUAcademy #PL2 #ThePeoplesPerson pic.twitter.com/4rR48LjRvK

— The Peoples Person (@_peoplesperson_) October 27, 2023

The young star’s uncle has recently published an autobiography titled You Saw Me Standing Alone.

The Manchester Evening News report that the book mentions United’s young academy prospect with Alex Williams saying in it that “Ethan is progressing well and has the potential to go all the way.”

It further adds “he’s quick, has a terrific left foot and an eye for goal. He’s destined to be a star, although it’s a shame his favourite colour is red rather than blue. I just hope Ethan is as happy during his career as I was during mine.”

It is not just a terrific left foot Ethan possesses though, as he has just as good a right foot as evidenced by his goal on Friday night against Fulham.

An extremely two footed player, Ethan Williams is amongst a rare breed of players who can often been seen delivering corners with either left or right boot like another Manchester United academy graduate in Andreas Pereira.

Since joining the club from Rochdale at 14, Williams has quickly moved his way through the ranks and has already trained with the first team under Erik ten Hag.

Often playing as an old school winger on the left, he is also capable of playing on the right and even has experience at left back which will stand him in good stead when looking to earn a chance with the first team.

He is not the only academy player with a City connection either as Jack and Tyler Fletcher, sons of Darren Fletcher, have just joined United in the summer from the cross town rivals.

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Fletcher and his twin brother Jack Fletcher moved to United from Manchester City’s academy in the summer.

It’s believed that their father Darren Fletcher, who is a former United midfielder and the club’s current technical director, was behind the move that saw the twins complete a switch from the Etihad to Old Trafford.

Tyler, who was born in Manchester, is eligible to line up for both Scotland and England.

According to The Daily Mail, it seems like the talented 16-year-old star has made the decision to represent the country his five-time Premier League-winning father played for.

Tyler made his international bow for Scotland under-16s in September 2022 but featured for the Three Lions just two months later.

Earlier in February, he played for Scotland once again and came up against his brother Jack, who was in England colours during an under-16 clash in Cyprus.

Tyler made a change again later in April and played alongside Jack as England won the Montaigu Tournament.

The Mail adds, “However, Tyler has returned to Scotland duty – for the time being at least – as he played against Belarus in an Under-17 European Championship qualifier in Turkey on Saturday. He started in midfield as Belarus won the game 3-1.”

Tyler played for the Red Devils against Derby County in the Under-18 Premier League on October 7th.

His brother also played a part against Derby as their side came from behind to defeat the opposition at Carrington.

During his playing days, Darren Fletcher won 80 caps for Scotland.

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Peter O’Rourke (footballinsider247) has revealed United will poach Clarke from Cardiff City, where the Irishman has impressed in his role as Head of the Academy.

Clarke is believed to have “agreed terms” with United and will be relocating to Old Trafford imminently.

United officials are currently making efforts to improve their youth set-up and have “targeted” the Cardiff City man to take on the responsibility of recruitment for the academy.

Clarke studied at the University of South Wales and achieved a BSc in Football Coaching and Development. He then went on to complete a masters in Advanced Performance Football Coaching at the same university.

His first official role in professional football came as intern with the Republic of Ireland F.A. before becoming a coach at Swansea.

Clarke then took on a position as a Performance Analyst with the Welsh international set-up, which then landed him a role at Cardiff City as a youth coach.

He forged a strong reputation at the Welsh club, quickly progressing through the ranks to becoming Head of Academy recruitment – a position he has held since August 2021.

Clarke’s work in this role has drawn attention from across the football league, with officials at United keen to secure his services ahead of potential rivals.

The football operation at Old Trafford is set to undergo a potentially dramatic transformation following the recent developments in the club’s takeover.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe is drawing close to agreeing a minority stake co-ownership deal, granting him control over the sporting side of United. 

INEOS are reported to want to conduct a 100-day review of the club should their bid prove successful, with a number of changes at the executive level expected.

Given Clarke’s position relates primarily to the academy, his move to United is not thought to be affected by the potential shake-up expected in the not too distant future.

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