MU suffer major blow as Academy Director is poached by Premier League rival

Manchester United are losing their Academy Director to a Premier League rival after Nick Cox was poached by Everton.

Cox, 47, has been instrumental behind the scenes at United and has been widely credited with revamping and improving an academy that has seen the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, Harry Amass, Chido Obi and more progress through to the first team in recent years.

While Cox will remain as Academy Director for a few more months to ease the transition as United seek his successor, Mail Sport understands the chance to join Everton was one Cox felt was too good to turn down.

He had previously been approached with technical director and sporting director jobs in Europe, as well as in the Premier League and the EFL.

While it is a difficult decision to leave United, who are already seeking an Under-18s manager following the departure of boss Adam Lawrence at the start of the season, sources have said Cox was ‘instantly excited’ by the Everton offer.

Everton’s new owners, The Friedkin Group, are very ambitious and have made it a key focus to revamp their academy after seeing it stall in recent years due to financial issues.

Cox has a clear track record of developing players and has overseen 38 first team debuts since being at the club, with 29 of those since becoming Academy Director.

He has also being able to recruit players at a high level having been an instrumental figure in the moves to bring Garnacho to England and to recruit Obi from Arsenal.

With sales of academy stars counting as ‘pure profit’ on the balance sheets, many of Everton’s top youngsters have needed to be cashed in on instead of bled into the first team - but the hope will be to push more talent into David Moyes’ side from next season.

During his time at United, sales successes that can be linked to Cox are around the £100million mark, and that is expected to rise further due to various sell-on clauses for players such as Anthony Elanga, who is attracting interest from Newcastle United.

Moyes is expected to delve into the academy set-up during pre-season given that 10 first team players have left the club, five as free agent and with five loans reaching expiry.

More texts could follow also with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Michael Keane and Seamus Coleman yet to sign extensions on deals that expire on June 30.

Harrison Armstrong, the highest rated youngster in the academy after his loan at Derby last season, is one to keep an eye on.