Photo by Poppy Townson - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Poppy Townson - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
Manchester United have a very talented academy midfield department right now, and Jay McEvoy is likely to be the next up in this role.
This summer, during pre-season, Michael Carrick had a selection of academy midfielders on tour during the opening weeks, and in the next year, Jay McEvoy should step into this group.
Manchester United had Jacob Devaney, Tyler Fletcher, Dan Gore, Toby Collyer, and Jim Thwaites all involved during pre-season, with current U18 talent McEvoy having equally as impressive potential.
Over the course of the 2025/26 season, McEvoy went from strength to strength, growing in importance for Darren Fletcher, and now he is expected to become the main man. This gives him an excellent chance.
Jay McEvoy warms up for Manchester United U18
Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images
Getty Images
Jay McEvoy scores sensational goal in U18 training
While the U18s haven’t yet kicked off their season, McEvoy has already made an impression.
In a training clip to emerge earlier this week of a small pitch game between the U18s, McEvoy stole the show as he scored a pretty insane solo goal.
McEvoy dribbled in and out, beating a handful of defenders, including one on multiple occasions, before finishing coolly and emphatically.
McEvoy added goals to his game toward the end of last season, but they were mainly box-crashing runs in which he would score from the edge of the box. But the silky dribbling is a quality we are going to have to get used to.
Cristian Orozco of Manchester United poses after signing for the club at Carrington Training Ground on August 06, 2026 in Manchester, England.
Cristian Orozco of Manchester United poses after signing for the club at Carrington Training Ground on August 06, 2026 in Manchester, England.
McEvoy is the next major academy talent to come through Manchester United’s academy
The competition to go from the United academy ranks to the first-team is really strong right now, with all the aforementioned names joined by Cristian Orozco, who has settled in and looks the part immediately.
But McEvoy has all the qualities to make this jump.
Last season, McEvoy developed into a player who can do it all. He could score, assist, win crunching Roy Keane-esque tackles, and was also silky and smooth on the ball with his passing.
McEvoy is an all-action number eight, and last season the U18s were much better with him than without him.
This coming season, Fletcher will need McEvoy to step up into a leadership role and be a driving force behind the 2026/27 crop, challenging for every trophy again.
McEvoy could be a midfielder who plays his way into the thoughts of Michael Carrick over the course of this season and for next summer.
One to watch in the coming campaign, as he could be a player Carrick is a huge fan of, especially once he gets to show it more often with a more prominent role this coming campaign.