Manchester United snap up West Brom academy youth guru Stephen Hopcroft
NICKY BUTT brings in Baggies talent spotter as Red Devils revamp continues
MANCHESTER UNITED have secured one of the country’s top talent spotters to Old Trafford after West Brom’s Steve Hopcroft agreed to join the club.
The Baggies’ head of recruitment will replace Derek Langley, who left his position at United two months ago.
Hopcroft has been responsible for developing a number of players who have gone to become regulars in the Premier League.
Saido Berahino is the crown jewel of his finds, but Sam Field, Kane Wilson and Jonathan Leko are the latest youngsters to break through into the first-team set-up at the Hawthorns after being spotted by Hopcroft.
United are revamping their whole youth structure and brought in former England Under-17s boss John Peacock as a specialist consultant in the summer.
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Former midfielder Nicky Butt was promoted in February and is now head of academy at the club.
Hopcroft, aged 49, has been at West Brom for eight years and is currently working his notice period before making the move to the north west.