“It’s disappointing…”: Club boss fumes as United recall “fantastic” loanee, reveals worrying update over 19-yo starlet

Northampton Town manager Kevin Nolan has issued an unexpected injury update on Ethan Wheatley while expressing dismay at Manchester United’s decision to recall the youngster. Wheatley recalled On Monday, United confirmed that they had recalled Wheatley from his loan spell at Northampton. The forward joined the League One outfit during the summer on a season-long loan deal. As with all United loanees, the arrangement included a break clause in January, which United exercised. Wheatley endured a slow start to life at Northampton but his form improved and he eventually became a key player under Nolan. The England youth international scored three goals in 25 appearances for the side. A report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that United view his time at Northampton as a success, but the club felt it was better for him to develop elsewhere. There have been claims that talks are ongoing with Bradford City over a loan move until the end of the campaign. Speaking to reporters, Nolan admitted being surprised by United’s decision to recall Wheatley. Nolan also revealed that Wheatley is injured – a factor that suitors may take into account while determining whether or not to snap him up. Nolan’s remarks Nolan said [as quoted by the Northampton Chronicle & Echo], “It’s disappointing because we expected to be able to keep Ethan for the rest of the season.” “It took me a little bit by surprise to be honest because of the work we did in the summer and we feel we have helped Ethan and he’s improved with us and there was room for further improvement too.” He continued, “But he’s Man United’s player and they have every right to do what they want to do with him. He’s injured at the moment and we wish him a speedy recovery and I hope he does well in the future, but we have to move on and we already have.” “We’ve known this might happen and we have been working on getting someone else in as quickly as possible. I’m hoping that’s sooner rather than later.” The 43-year-old insisted that Wheatley’s abrupt departure has not disrupted their plans for the January window. “I wouldn’t say it’s changed our plans because you have to prepare for stuff like this. There’s always an option on loan deals but I asked Ethan to be straight up and honest with us and he was and he’s not our concern anymore – he’s the concern of Man United and whoever he goes to.” “We move on and hopefully we can welcome a new arrival to the club in the next few days rather than weeks.” Meanwhile, United are next in action on Saturday when they face Manchester City in the derby. Michael Carrick is expected to take charge of the game, with an agreement now in place between the club and his camp. Featured image Pete Norton via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!