Manchester United’s new head of academy credited with Rico Lewis, James McAtee, and Cole Palmer development | OneFootball

A figure who has been credited with developing the likes of Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis at Manchester City is set for a big appointment at Old Trafford, according to reports.

The red side of Manchester are seemingly placing significant emphasis on restructuring its youth academy in a bid to catch up with rivals.

With the likes of Palmer flourishing after his move to Chelsea and Lewis continuing to shine under Pep Guardiola, City’s academy reputation has soared in recent years, making this recruitment all the more noteworthy for United.

The move also highlights the growing influence of Jason Wilcox, Manchester United’s director of football, who has been entrusted with reshaping the club’s player pathway system. Wilcox himself is a familiar name for City supporters, having spent nearly a decade at the Etihad Campus as academy director before making the switch to Southampton and eventually United.

His eye for academy infrastructure and coaching expertise was widely regarded as a cornerstone of City’s recent success in producing first-team-ready talent. That context makes his latest hire a particularly interesting development in the battle between Manchester’s two footballing giants.

The timing of United’s push to strengthen their academy is also notable, coming after years of criticism that the club’s pathway from youth levels to the first team has lagged behind competitors. While City have seen players like Rico Lewis, Phil Foden, and Oscar Bobb transition into Pep Guardiola’s senior squad, United have struggled to replicate such a conveyor belt of elite-level academy products.

According to a new report from MailSport offering insights into Manchester United, Stephen Torpey is set to be named as the new head of Manchester United’s academy by director of football Jason Wilcox.

Torpey has been academy director at Brentford since January 2024, and is highly rated following his work with Manchester City, where he helped to develop the likes of Cole Palmer, James McAtee and Rico Lewis.

Jason Wilcox is said to have seen Torpey’s qualities first-hand during his near-decade-long association with Manchester City, and caught the attention of rivals with a data-led project he launched while at the Etihad Stadium.

City’s tool for youth development at the time is said to have seen them set key benchmarks for players, measuring their social, physical and psychological attributes.

If Torpey is able to bring elements of City’s methods across town, United may begin to see a resurgence in the quality of academy graduates coming through. Given Wilcox’s vision and Torpey’s track record, there is a clear intent at Old Trafford to modernise their approach.

For City, the news is a reminder of just how influential their academy structure has been in shaping English football’s current landscape. Even when graduates depart – as in the case of Cole Palmer or James McAtee – the Etihad Campus continues to produce talent at a remarkable rate.

Ultimately, while United supporters will view the appointment with optimism, City fans may take pride in knowing their academy remains the blueprint that others are attempting to replicate. The next few years will reveal whether United can genuinely close the gap with a formula imported from across Manchester.