Report: Everton target Man United academy boss for senior role | OneFootball

Everton’s Strategic Shift: Nick Cox Set for Key Role in Club Rebuild

Everton are in advanced negotiations to appoint Nick Cox, Manchester United’s academy director, as their new technical director. As reported by The Athletic, this would mark a transformative step for both Cox and the Toffees. His expected arrival is not just a hire, but a signal of intent from a club striving to reinvent itself on and off the pitch.

Since taking over United’s academy in 2019, Cox has been integral in producing talent like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo. Now, Everton are positioning him to lead their football department under chief executive Angus Kinnear, taking the leap from elite youth development into first-team strategy and operations.

“This is a coup,” one source at Everton reportedly said, and there’s little reason to doubt that. For a club historically proud of its youth pathways, the appointment of a respected figure like Cox is more than a box-ticking exercise — it’s a redefinition of their footballing infrastructure as they prepare to move into a new stadium and embrace a new era.

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Pedigree Built at Old Trafford

Cox’s credentials are well established. Joining Manchester United in 2016 before rising to lead the academy in 2019, he inherited a proud legacy of youth development and didn’t just maintain it — he elevated it. Under his watch, the club won the FA Youth Cup in 2022 in front of more than 67,000 fans at Old Trafford, a night where Garnacho and Mainoo emerged as stars.

In the six years since his promotion, 29 academy players have made their senior debuts. According to The Athletic, academy graduates have contributed 25 per cent of United’s first-team minutes — the second-highest among Europe’s top five leagues, behind only Bayern Munich. That level of integration is rare and reflects a cultural ethos as much as a footballing philosophy.

Moreover, Cox’s leadership has had economic benefits. United have sold around £100 million worth of players developed under his tenure, with further value expected from future sell-on clauses. His eye for potential, combined with a modern understanding of youth progression, places him among the most respected figures in English football development.

A Vision Aligned with Everton’s New Era

Why now? According to The Athletic, Cox has turned down previous approaches from Premier League and European clubs, but the Everton project appears to align with his career ambitions. It is understood that working with David Moyes, alongside the backing of new owners The Friedkin Group, offers a rare opportunity to influence first-team football and broader operational structures from the outset.

This isn’t just about recruitment or youth. Cox is expected to oversee multiple football departments — from academy to medical — as Everton reimagine the way the club functions. While James Smith is expected to handle recruitment, Cox’s role will be pivotal in setting the philosophy and ensuring alignment across departments.

His move is considered amicable by all parties, and he is expected to remain at United for a few weeks while a successor is found. This speaks volumes about the respect Cox commands, not just in Manchester but throughout the footballing world.

Change in Culture or Change in Fortunes?

For Everton, the potential appointment of Cox represents more than a reshuffle of staff. It is a cultural shift. Long criticised for reactive recruitment and short-termism, the Toffees are now putting long-term planning at the core of their structure. That means investing in people, processes and patience.

Under the stewardship of Angus Kinnear and with input from headhunters Nolan Partners, Everton appear determined to build a structure that can withstand the volatility of Premier League football. In Smith and Cox, they are recruiting from a pool of winners — professionals used to operating in elite environments.

“Everton feel he is ready to make the step up,” writes Patrick Boyland in The Athletic, and that readiness will be tested swiftly. The club’s ambitions are no longer vague statements — they are being defined by the calibre of staff being brought through the door.

With a new stadium on the horizon and new ownership promising fresh direction, the arrival of Nick Cox could prove a turning point in Everton’s modern history.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

This feels like the moment we’ve been waiting for — actual direction. Evertonians have suffered more than enough boardroom turbulence, managerial chaos and recruitment misfires. So to hear that we’re in advanced talks to bring in someone like Nick Cox — a man who’s helped produce talent that thrives at Manchester United — is exactly the kind of news that restores hope.

Let’s be honest, the Kevin Thelwell era didn’t deliver what was promised. Too often we’ve lurched from one strategy to the next without any clear football identity. What we need now is structure, accountability and expertise, and Cox brings all three. He’s respected, he’s modern and he’s got the track record to back it up.

It’s also reassuring that the club aren’t just stopping with Cox. The arrival of James Smith from Man City adds another layer of credibility. These aren’t just jobs for the boys — they’re real appointments with real pedigree. For fans who’ve endured the mediocrity of recent years, this kind of smart, forward-thinking backroom overhaul is overdue.

Ultimately, this is about building something sustainable. With Moyes back, a new stadium ahead, and now proper football minds behind the scenes, we finally feel like we might be on the right path.