Academy wonderkid Jim Thwaites becomes second U18 star to agree professional contract since Ruben Amorim took charge – Man United News And Transfer News

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Manchester United have tied down yet another highly-rated academy wonderkid on a long-term contract as per latest reports.

As revealed by Academy Arena on X (formerly Twitter), Jim Thwaites has signed his first professional contract at the club after a brilliant start to the season.

He recently turned 17 and followed in the footsteps of Chido Obi, who also put pen to paper on his first professional deal with the club.

“Manchester Utd have secured Jim Thwaites on a long-term professional contract,” the update read.

New deal for Thwaites

“Thwaites turned 17 this month and the length of the contract reflects how highly regarded he is within the club. Having a brilliant season with the U18s.”

The young Englishman has four goals and two assists in the U18 Premier League and has also made an appearance in the FA Youth Cup and in the UEFA Youth League.

Exclusive: Manchester Utd have secured Jim Thwaites on a long-term professional contract.

Thwaites turned 17 this month and the length of the contract reflects how highly regarded he is within the club. Having a brilliant season with the U18s. pic.twitter.com/5KfJKp38i2

— Academy Arena (@academyarenaUTD) December 24, 2024

He has built up a reputation within the academy for being a dead-ball expert, and his skills were on full display when he scored a free-kick goal from outside the box against Everton recently.

Thwaites even won the club’s Goal of the Season award for both the U16s and U18s last season and as relayed by The Peoples Person, Ruben Amorim had called up the then-16-year-old for first team training when he first arrived.

Very highly-rated at the club

The youngster has already played twice for the U21s when he was only 16 and even former manager Erik ten Hag had called him up for senior training.

Amorim is known to trust youth a lot more than the Dutchman and the academy stars must be on their toes to try and impress the new coach. Who knows, their chance might come sooner than expected.

He is considered “one of the academy’s leading prospects in his age group” and this latest contract shows just how highly-rated he is at the club.

Amorim is said to on the lookout for midfielders with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen on their way out and if Thwaites continues his impressive progress, there is no reason why he cannot be in and around the first team within the next couple of years.

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