Few areas of Manchester United have not undergone upheaval over the past 12 months, and now the academy could be the next department to see change.
It was last year that Ineos took charge of footballing operations at Manchester United by becoming part owners of the club.
Since this, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been overhauling the club from top to bottom, with an entirely new recruitment team seeing improvements to how United have operated in the transfer market already.
Ratcliffe’s desire to sign the next Kylian Mbappe has seen a conscious effort to strengthen the academy and arrivals such as Chido Obi, Sekou Kone, Ayden Heaven, Diego Leon, and others have done exactly that.
Ineos’ appointment of Ruben Amorim was also likely influenced by the Portuguese coach’s tendency to play academy players. He proved this at Sporting CP, where Amorim handed out 27 debuts to academy graduates.
But now, Ineos might have to make a huge change within the United academy ranks with the future of one head coach now up in the air, and it would be a massive loss for the club.
Adam Lawrence considering summer exit from Manchester United
The recent success United have had in academy football has been mostly down to the role played by Adam Lawrence as the head coach of the U18s.
The highlight of Lawrence’s reign was the treble he led United to in the 2023/24 season, winning the U18 Premier League North, U18 Premier League Cup, and the U18 Premier League National.
Lawrence, however, is now potentially on the cards for an unexpected exit this summer, according to the Manchester Evening News.
The 39-year-old’s future is uncertain at Carrington, four years after joining from Charlton. It is reported that Lawrence is yet to make his final decision, but there is a belief that he wants a new challenge and is leaning toward leaving the club.
Lawrence was initially hired as the U16 head coach before being promoted to the head of player development for the U13 to U16 teams. He was then appointed U18 head coach in the summer of 2023 and has won three trophies in two seasons.
It will have been a disappointment for Lawrence that he failed to secure the FA Youth Cup he will have wanted this season, however the impact of the London-born coach is not doubted by anybody, with players often raving about him.
READ: Man Utd under-18s top scorers and assists in 2024/25, all results
Chido Obi and Harry Amass have hailed Adam Lawrence
The work Lawrence has done in the academy is very impressive and will no doubt have senior teams looking at potentially appointing him.
Within the United academy, the impact of Lawrence has been hailed by both Obi and Harry Amass. Here is what the pair both said recently after receiving recognition for their first team debuts.
Amass on Lawrence
“Adam Lawrence, when I first joined, him being from down south, there was that connection straight away, he made sure I was settled and was always someone I could go to if I needed something. And as I got more comfortable, he helped me on the pitch. In that first season in U18s, I really excelled, and a big part of that was him, always making sure I was doing the right stuff.
Obi on Lawrence
“Trav and Adam have been really helpful. Every time I needed help, I spoke to them or called them, and they gave me advice. When I play games, they sometimes take me to a meeting to show me what to do better, so it’s good.”
Such praise for the coach should see United desperate to keep him in position at the club, with an impressive system that wins a lot of games. However, it will be up to him ultimately, while United may want a coach to implement the Amorim system from youth levels up.
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