Man United's head of academy recruitment Lyndon Tomlinson resigns

Manchester United have lost a key member of the club’s recruitment team on the eve of the new season.

Lyndon Tomlinson, assistant head of academy recruitment, is understood to have tendered his resignation earlier this week.

Tomlinson’s departure follows Nicky Butt’s decision to end his time as head of first-team development at the club in March.

United signed Tomlinson alongside Dave Harrison from rivals Manchester City five years ago, charging the pair with improving the club’s recruitment of young players. Both had been part of the team that took United’s new £73million winger Jadon Sancho from Watford to City in 2015.

United’s captures of the likes of Joe Hugill from Sunderland and Monaco’s Hannibal Mejbri have represented major forays into the market over the past two years.

But Tomlinson – who is credited with first spotting Jude Bellingham while involved in the youth set-up at Birmingham City - has now chosen to move on.