Manchester United

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Manchester United have confirmed that Nick Cox, the club's head of academy, is leaving after nine years of service.

Cox leaves behind a significant legacy in youth development, having played a key role in shaping the careers of several first-team and international players.

He joined Manchester United in 2016 from Sheffield United and became head of academy in 2019, has been instrumental in modernising the club's youth structure.

He is set to become technical director at Everton, though he will remain at the Old Trafford club until at least the end of the summer.

"Youth development is an important part of the lifeblood of this club, having the responsibility of supporting this generation of young people and staff to ensure that the system continues to thrive has been an immense privilege," said Cox.

"Working alongside some of the most talented and dedicated youth developers in the world has been a huge honour. There are countless individuals behind the scenes who play a vital role in supporting our young players to maximise their potential.

"I will be forever grateful for their support and know they will ensure that the academy continues to go from strength to strength as the club enters an exciting new era."

United director of football Jason Wilcox added: "Nick has made a huge contribution to Manchester United over the past nine years. I was already well aware of his qualities before I arrived at the club, and have really enjoyed working together.

"Identifying and developing the best youth talent remains one of this club's top priorities, and we are grateful for the work Nick has done to provide such a strong foundation for us to continue to build on."

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Chris Rumfitt from Manchester United Supporters' Trust has slammed "eye-watering" increases in ticket prices for next season.

United have announced matchday ticket prices could reach £97 as part of their new ticket pricing strategy, following the club's worse domestic campaign since 1974.

The most expensive matchday tickets at Old Trafford last season were £66.

There are four categories under the new system, with the lowest reserved exclusively for "some" cup games.

It means the lowest priced ticket for a Premier League game is £37, for the two category C matches against Sunderland and Wolves. That figure rises to £97 for the highest priced tickets in category A, which involves games against Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle and Tottenham.

Club officials argue the £97 applies to less than 1% of the available tickets.

"These increases are eye-watering," Rumfitt told BBC Radio Manchester. "They are worse than anyone's worse expectations.

"When they said they were going to introduce this model the suggestion was some tickets would stay the same price, some might even be a bit cheaper and a small number for the biggest games might be more expensive.

"What we've actually discovered is the price increases relate to 17 of the 19 Premier League games next season and for those games ticket prices are going up by typically 50%.

"The average cheapest ticket is going up by about 50% and that is absolutely outrageous, particularly after the season we just had.

"It's just extraordinary and I'm lost for words. We knew this model was coming but it's really the scale of it, the number of games that are being premium-priced and the extent of that pricing.

"There has been lots going on in terms of cuts at the club but they made the main ticketing announcement many months ago and we feel it's been pretty dishonest of them not to have made sure at that stage what was coming. We feel we have been misled and certainly we have not been consulted despite the club saying they would consult with fans.

"There has been nothing at all. "

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

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Even though Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has endured a difficult start to life in England, chief executive Omar Berrada can see the similarities with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

Berrada joined United after working as the chief football operations officer at City Football Group and recognises United's parallels with Guardiola's tricky debut season, where City finished fourth.

"It was difficult in Pep's first year," said Berrada in an in-depth interview with United We Stand fanzine, external. "He didn't win anything, and there was suspicion about whether he could implement his football vision in the Premier League. People said he was arrogant and wouldn't change his style of play. But he stuck to his principles."

Berrada feels the difficulties Amorim has encountered since his arrival will benefit the club next season, insisting there is genuine reason for optimism.

"It won't be easy," he said. "There'll be some difficult moments ahead. "Nothing is going to get solved with one summer window, but we are on the right path.

"We've put the worst part of this transformation phase behind us and now we're going to start building. I'm very confident we'll get back to the top."

Read the full article here

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United We Stand fanzine editor Andy Mitten spoke to BBC Radio Manchester about a recent interview he did with Manchester United chief executive Omar Berrada: "I felt it was important to put issues to him such as redundancies, ticket prices and protests - he fronted up and didn't shirk anything and I think it is really important that we communicate. It was an interesting interview and he is a highly intelligent interview.

"I went into the interview probably as the lowest I have felt as a Manchester United fan - after the game in Bilbao and a wretched season. I wanted to know that the main decision maker had a clear plan and he does. He said on the record that the 'pain is behind us' and the 'tough decisions have been made.'

"There was loads of side angles, such as him reading books on tactics on Hungarian football. It shows how deep he is going to learn about Manchester United."

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The Professional Footballers' Association has announced its shortlist for the PFA Players' Player of the Year award, with six standout Premier League performers in the running.

Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Alexis Mac Allister are joined by Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice and Chelsea star Cole Palmer.

Salah continued his remarkable consistency for Liverpool, while Mac Allister impressed in his second season at Anfield.

Isak's clinical finishing helped Newcastle to a strong league campaign, and Fernandes remained a creative force despite United's mixed form.

Rice was pivotal in Arsenal's push in the league and Europe, and Palmer continued to show great form at Stamford Bridge with a series of match-winning displays.

The winner, voted for by fellow professionals, will be announced later this summer.

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Following recent rumours that Viktor Gyokeres has 'threatened to go on strike' to secure a move away from Sporting CP, we asked you if this behaviour would put you off signing him for Manchester United.

Here are some of your comments:

Stuart: United have had too many prima donnas recently who have disrupted the changing room. The last thing they need is another one, so I'd say 'thanks but no thanks' to his agent.

Arthur: Too much player power and holding clubs to ransom, but if there was a gentleman's agreement between Sporting and Gyokeres then the chairman should uphold his side of the bargain and not try to squeeze more money out of the interested clubs.

Kevin: So we force players like Rashford and Sancho out of the club because of their diva like attitudes yet we are willing to spend £50m+ to sign a player who is threatening to throw his toys out of the pram? I would stay well clear if I was running United.

James: I believe he was persuaded to stay last season on the 'gentleman's understanding' that he could leave for a lower fee than his release clause. If that is the case, and it is the club that are not honouring what they said, then why shouldn't he play hardball with them. What is he supposed to do? Just sit back and accept the club going back on their word? Yes, some players come across as unreasonable and arrogant, but this isn't the case here.

Karl: Attitude is of course important - but it's not a fixed thing and can be coached. Two players spring to mind who were both feisty and had short fuses when they first arrived at the club - many times I had my head in my hands as they kicked off over some minor misdemeanour- their names were Rooney and Ronaldo.

William: Leave him alone. He's supposed to be a professional with a professional contract. If his agent failed to include a release clause set at a price that would interest top clubs that's down to the agent and himself. Footballers are only too happy to accept their contracts at the time. A contract is a contract.

Manchester United are waiting to discover whether it will be possible to sign Bayern Munich and Portugal midfielder Joao Palhinha, 29, on loan after deciding not to spend big on Atalanta's Brazilian midfielder Ederson, 25. (Givemesport), external

Sporting and Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres, 27, is edging closing to joining Arsenal instead of Manchester United. (Talksport), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

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Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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This feels like a quiet period in the summer, with a lot of rumours about clubs being interested in players and buyers and sellers trying to establish what fees they could charge, or what they would have to pay.

For Manchester United, this might present a problem.

I was chatting to someone connected to the club earlier this week about Alejandro Garnacho, who has been told he can leave by head coach Ruben Amorim.

There is interest in the Argentina forward but no-one has stepped up to offer a fee United think is acceptable and the feeling is this might drag on.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrrell Malacia are all due to return after spending time away from Old Trafford on loan. All are on the kind of salaries that won't make it easy to move them on without United having some sort of financial involvement.

Players are due to return for training at the beginning of July, which should start to focus minds.

Then there is the first pre-season friendly with Leeds on 19 July followed by a three-match trip to the United States.

Ideally, United would have everything sorted by then. Don't be surprised if it drags on much longer.

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Manchester United have been linked with Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres consistently in recent months, and now reports claim that the striker has threatened to go on strike, if the Portuguese side don't lower their demands in order to force a move through.

If it's true, that the 27-year-old is in fact refusing to cooperate with his current club, is that a player who you still want brought into your squad? Or do you think his terms are fair?

Is attitude regarded as highly as talent and output?

Send us your thoughts here

This week on the Devils' Advocate podcast from BBC Radio Manchester, Gaz Drinkwater and Joe McGrath discuss the greatest goals they have ever seen at Old Trafford.

"In terms of a goal that means a lot to me, when they opened Old Trafford after Covid for the first time and there was 30,000 people there, I went with my nan," said Gaz.

"Cavani scored a goal from the halfway line and put it over the goalkeeper. That always has a special part in my heart just because I was there.

"Another one involving my gran really, was Scott McTominay against Manchester City [in the final game before Covid]. I accidentally headbutted my nan whilst celebrating."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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It was lost amid the new fixtures coming out and the row over Manchester United's ticket price rise but Nick Cox's decision to leave the club to take over as technical director at Everton is pretty big.

United is built on its youth programme. There has been a home-grown player, or someone from the academy in their squad for every first-team match since October 1937, a run of over 4,000 games.

I have spoken to a lot of people in the game over the past 24 hours and all say Cox will be a huge loss to United when he eventually steps aside as academy chief.

The role has evolved hugely in the modern game but to underline what the person heading the academy is in charge of, there is a link through coaching from the Busby Babes through Wilf McGuiness, to the likes of Tony Whelan, Brian Kidd, Eric Harrison and Paul McGuiness of those people who are either steeped in United history, or stayed so long to shape the club's youth strategy.

Compared to signing Matheus Cunha or, probably, Bryan Mbeumo, the identity of Cox's replacement will not grab headlines.

But it will be fascinating to see whether the club goes for someone with United connections, or someone known to technical director Jason Wilcox, or someone completely detatched.

Either way, as with the first team, United need to get the recruitment right, particularly given they are also looking for an under-18 coach following the departure of Adam Lawrence and have a vacancy in their PL2 set-up after assistant coach David Hughes took the manager's job at Newport.

Jordan Butler
BBC Sport journalist

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Manchester United hosting Arsenal at Old Trafford is perhaps the most eye-catching fixture on the opening weekend of the 2025-26 Premier League season.

It will be just the second time the two sides have faced each other in the opening game of a domestic league campaign.

The last time they did so, the Red Devils were comfortable 4-1 winners in 1989-90, with Steve Bruce and Mark Hughes among the scorers that day for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

It is also only the fourth time the two teams will contest a league fixture in August, with United winning the previous three - including the famous 8-2 thrashing in 2011.

Coincidentally, it is the ninth consecutive season Manchester United have kicked off their campaign at home.

The last time they travelled away for an opening day fixture was in 2016-17, when Jose Mourinho's side won 3-1 at Bournemouth.

Manchester United and Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres, 27, has refused to have clear-the-air talks with Sporting and threatened to go on strike as he tries to force through a move from the Portuguese club. (Mirror), external

Newcastle want to sign England forward Marcus Rashford on loan but Manchester United would prefer to offload the 27-year-old on a permanent basis. (Sun), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

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Following the release of the 2025-26 Premier League fixtures, we asked you to have your say on how the schedule has fallen and where Manchester United might be after 10 games.

Here are some of your comments:

Fred: This is sadly not the fixture list Ruben Amorim would have wanted for the start of the season. These first few games will be a trial by fire for his summer transfer window, and whether the new squad will adopt his tactics. Unfortunately, these games may be the final nails in his coffin.

Mark: Optimistically, and not knowing further ins and outs, I'm going to say we will be in the top six after 10 games. Likely to be at least two defeats - but who knows? The bigger games like Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City motivate this team and with no European games they may just surprise themselves.

Toby: They could lose five of their opening six games. Surely Amorim wouldn't survive that?

Tony: United face three of the top four in their first four fixtures. A good test for the new season - an improvement would be at least a draw against all three and not dropping points to the likes of Fulham and Burnley. If we're in the top half after 10, I think United could be hovering around the top six at the end.

Tristan: Within the first 10 games United are playing Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. The absolute best we can hope for after that is mid-table having not suffered too many embarrassing heavy defeats. If we can survive that, we can build up through the season - but, if not, the manager may not see his one-year anniversary.

Brendan: United will do well to finish sixth or seventh in the new season. Amorim has some tasty games to begin with and will either sink or swim early on. It will be a season of mediocrity but less chaos.

Opta has ranked the difficulty of each top-flight team's first five Premier League fixtures of the 2025-26 season.

According to Opta's model, Manchester United have the hardest start, followed by their opening-weekend opponents Arsenal and then Bournemouth.

Aston Villa's first five games have been ranked the easiest, alongside Crystal Palace.

Take a look below to see where your side places...

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Perhaps one of the reasons Manchester United have the best opening-day record in the Premier League era - with 22 wins from 33 games - is because they regularly kick off their campaigns at Old Trafford.

In fact, 2025-26 will be the ninth consecutive season the Red Devils start their season with home advantage. They have opened at home 23 times since the formation of the Premier League, a figure matched only by their first opponents this time around, Arsenal.

Opening fixtures at home in Premier League:

• Man Utd - 23

• Arsenal - 23

• Chelsea - 22

• Everton - 22

• Newcastle - 18

Andrew Bassett
BBC Sport data analyst

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We have seen a lot of traffic to our fixtures pages already today.

So far, Leeds United are the fourth most visited club fixtures page on BBC Sport.

Only Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal are ahead of the Whites.

Newly promoted Sunderland also catch the eye inside the top 10 - and in case you were wondering, they are behind Newcastle United.

Aside from the first game of the season against Arsenal and the final fixture of the season at Brighton, all dates are subject to change as a result of broadcast and other requirements.

See Man Utd's full fixture list here

Simon Stone
Chief football news reporter

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Manchester United director of academy Nick Cox is to become Everton's technical director.

Cox's departure from Old Trafford is said to be amicable and the 47-year-old will remain at the club to ensure a smooth transition.

It does promise to be a summer of change at United as under-18 coach Adam Lawrence and under-21 assistant coach David Hughes have also left, the latter to take over as manager at League Two Newport.

Cox is highly regarded in football circles and has been the subject of numerous job offers in recent years, both at home and abroad.

However, the chance at Everton under a new, ambitious ownership group was felt to be too good to turn down. The Blues' previous technical director Kevin Thelwell left at the end of the season and has since joined Rangers.

Senior United sources have paid tribute to Cox's work, stating he has overhauled every aspect of the club's academy, including operations, recruitment, analysis, performance and education.

During a difficult period at first-team level given the relative managerial churn, Cox has presided over 29 debuts from academy players since being appointed United's academy director in 2019.

United have also brought Alejandro Garnacho, Toby Collyer, Ayden Heaven, Chido Obi and Harry Amass into their academy from external sources in recent times, as the club look to target younger players as part of their rebuild.

Club sources estimate the club has made about £100m from the sale of academy players over the past three years.

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The first Manchester derby of the 2025-26 Premier League season will be at Etihad stadium on the weekend of 13-14 September with the return fixture early against Manchester City halfway through January.

The Red Devils will also have their eyes on the weekends of 18-19 October and 2-3 May, when they are due to face defending champions Liverpool.

After four defeats by Tottenham last season - including in the Europa League final - the first chance for revenge is scheduled for the weekend of 8-9 November.

And what about the schedule over Christmas and New Year? Well, United face Aston Villa, Newcastle and Wolves before travelling to Leeds for their first game of 2026.

Finally, they will close their campaign at Brighton on Sunday, 24 May 2026 - when all 10 matches will kick off at 16:00 BST.

Looking at the fixture list, where do you think Amorim's side will be after 10 games? Have your say here

Manchester United will host Arsenal in their opening game of the 2025-26 Premier League season.

The match will take place on Sunday, 17 August at 16:30 BST, with the Red Devils' first away fixture against Fulham on the weekend of 23-24 August.

See United's Premier League fixtures in full here

Where do you think Ruben Amorim's side will be after 10 games and what do you make of how the fixtures have fallen? Tell us here