Ruben Amorim risks losing Man United's next Kobbie Mainoo with unpopular £125m Ineos decision

At the start of 2024, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sir Dave Brailsford went out their way to underline how important the famed Manchester United Academy will be in their project.

After completing their 25 per cent takeover of the football club at the end of 2023, Ratcliffe and Brailsford visited Carrington to announce their plans for the next generation, leaving Academy coach Nick Cox excited about what's to come.

"We have spent time with Dave and Jim. They both presented to the Academy staff this week and we have had a lot of informal conversations as well," he told The Manchester Evening News in February.

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He went on: "Naturally, they have a really good understanding of the history of youth development here and the role it has played in our history - and the role it is playing today in terms of helping our team perform. So from our perception, from the Academy staff's perception, exciting times ahead.

"I think the staff were incredibly enthused and appreciated the fact they'd dedicated some time, which is a really busy time for them, because there are a lot of new people to meet and new information for them, but they came and spent considerable time with every person in the room.

"And that same approach has been taken across different functions in the club and that will do, I imagine, in the coming weeks."

At least one United Academy graduate has been selected in more than 4,000 successive matches dating back to October 1937 - a truly incredible record. This season has seen Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jonny Evans, Kobbie Mainoo, Ethan Wheatley, Tom Heaton, Toby