United’s academy overhaul rolls on as club makes appointment in key position – report

Manchester United have appointed Connor Hunter to a vital academy position after they were rejected by Paul Midgley. United turned down The United Academy is currently undergoing plenty of changes, sparked by the exit of Nick Cox, who served as the club’s academy director. Cox’s departure was announced in June last year, with the recruitment and development chief moving to a role at Everton. United brought in Stephen Torpey from Brentford to replace Cox. The Red Devils were hit with another departure when head of academy recruitment Luke Fedorenko also left, joining sports agency Unique Sports Group as their head of elite talent. Fedorenko spent nine years at Old Trafford, playing a key role in identifying and landing top youth prospects. He enjoyed a strong relationship with Cox, having also worked together at Sheffield United. United had been in talks with Newcastle’s head of youth recruitment Paul Midgley, but he eventually turned down the move, opting to remain in the North East. According to the Manchester Evening News, Midgley decided to remain at St James’ Park after late talks with their sporting director Ross Wilson, academy director Steve Harper and head of recruitment Steve Nickson. Midgley previously worked at Manchester City with United’s director of football Jason Wilcox. It’s understood that United carried on with their search for a new head of academy recruitment and Hunter’s appointment in that capacity has now been finalised. Hunter steps up After being rejected by Midgley, United looked within and promoted Hunter to replace Fedorenko. Hunter joined United from Everton as an assistant phase scout in July 2017. He rose through the ranks, assuming a number of academy positions including the pre-academy manager, head of local recruitment 7-15, lead phase scout between Under-13 and Under-16. Most recently, he worked as United’s national scouting manager. The Liverpool John Moores University graduate will continue to find and secure the best and most promising talents for United. Featured image Carl Recine 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!