With the famous Class of 92 long-retired and four months after forking out £36m on teenager Anthony Martial, Manchester United are considering a complete overhaul of their academy system in a bid to ensure they develop more homegrown talents.
The plan includes building a new 'mini stadium' next to Old Trafford for the club's youth team, and hiring full-time scouts in an attempt to keep pace with local rivals Manchester City and other big clubs.
"From the Busby Babes in the 1950s to the emergence of George Best the next decade and the success of the Class of '92, United have one of the most fabled youth production lines in football history," says The Times. "Yet there is an acceptance within Old Trafford that the key areas of coaching, education, scouting and facilities need significant overhaul, with the club losing out to Manchester City and Chelsea in pursuit of the best youngsters."
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United have featured a homegrown player in every first-team matchday sqaud since October 1937, says The Guardian. But that proud record will not prevent a "root-and-branch review" of the academy set-up amid fears that their local rivals City, who have invested heavily in youth and last year opened a £200m academy, could hoover up the best young talents in the region.
City beat United 9-0 at Under-14 level in September, notes the paper, which adds that "former United players Robin van Persie, Andy Cole, Darren Fletcher and Phil Neville have sent their sons to City rather than United".
The Under-21s have no permanent home, says the Manchester Evening News, and play at various grounds around the City. "For a club of United size and stature it has become a ridiculous state of affairs and the Reds now lag behind many clubs around Europe who have their own mini stadiums," says the paper.
Former academy director Brian McClair left the club ten months ago and his role is likely to be split, with Nicky Butt in line to take over the football side of the operation.
"The Reds scouting system is also going to come under scrutiny. United currently employ part time scouts but are considering full time employment for the men on the ground who search for the next Ryan Giggs, David Beckham and Paul Scholes."
