Manchester United sign five prospects after Huddersfield axe academy system

MANCHESTER UNITED have snapped up five youngsters who were released when Huddersfield cut their academy system.

United have moved quickly to beat the rest of their local rivals to the signatures of a clutch of young prospects who were cut adrift by the Terriers earlier this month.

Huddersfield decided to reduce their academy from a category two to a category four status in an attempt to streamline their youth system.

It meant the Premier League club halved the number of age group teams they run - including ditching the under-19 and under-16 teams.

The move saves Huddersfield £500,00-a-year, which the club insist they will re-invest in the running costs of the under-18 and under-23 squads.

But it also saw a big clutch of players being told they would no longer have a club - and free to join other sides without any compensation being due.

United were quick to seize on the opportunity, offering trial periods to 15 youngsters who suddenly found themselves free agents.

Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton were also looking to take advantage, but found themselves playing catch-up when United put together a programme of trials and training games.

Promising youngsters Rocco Fragapane and Raj Mahmood, who have both been involved in the England under-16 set-up, are understood to have been among the group invited for trials at Carrington.

And after a two-week process overseen by United's academy chief Nicky Butt, the club have signed five players who stood out.

Harvey Rowe and Sam Murray are in at United already and are being pursued by City, Liverpool and Everton.

City failed with a £250,000 bid for Jordan Williams last summer - the England Under-17 international is currently on loan at League One Bury.

Goalkeeper Ryan Schofield, 17, helped England win this summer's Toulon tournament by saving in the penalty shootout in the final and was promoted to Huddersfield's senior squad this summer.