Manchester United are a club blessed with young talent right now and one player is making a name for himself ahead of schedule.
This has been a truly special season for Manchester United’s academy. In the first team, two players scored in the FA Cup Final, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, who two years earlier were winning the FA Youth Cup.
As for this year’s youth cohort, the under-18s won their own treble, the northern league, national league, and Premier League Cup competition.
Not satisfied with standing still, there is a talented group ready to push on from the under-16s to the 18s next season, with one player making an impact for both teams already.
Jim Thwaites wins award double
There are many names to look out for in the Manchester United academy right now. And promising winger Jim Thwaites is putting himself top of the list.
Thwaites began the season in Manchester United’s under-16s, and this is where he played the majority of his football this campaign.
But Manchester United’s academy is always keen to promote and test promising young players.
Thwaites made his under-18s debut as early as September, at just 15, and went on to make nine appearances during the campaign.
He managed to get on the scoresheet, just the once, but really made it count.
Thwaites scored a long range stunner against Derby County, to maintain the team’s unbeaten record at the time, netting his goal in stoppage time.
This goal was voted the under-18s goal of the season, adding to a strike from the teenager which also won the under-16s goal of the season, another long range effort which went in off the crossbar.
Thwaites promises more to come
The young attacking midfielder was delighted to win both awards, and pledges this is just the start for him.
He wrote on Instagram: “Delighted to get both U16 and U18 goal of the season. More to come next season…”
With many of this year’s under-18s title winning team set to move up to the under-21s, head out on loan, or even the first team, a new cohort of stars are going to get their chance.
Thwaites is a player with a headstart on most of his peers. He has even made two brief substitute appearances for the under-21s already.
Let’s see what 2024/25 brings, and if he can continue his penchant for scoring spectacular goals.