Blow for Man Utd as key academy chief who helped sign exciting wonderkid JJ Gabriel set to leave despite Red Devils’ attempts to keep him at club

According to The Athletic, Fedorenko’s decision has left United stunned, as he was one of the driving forces behind the resurgence of the club's youth recruitment model. His exit marks yet another behind-the-scenes shake-up at Carrington, as changes continue to ripple through the club’s football operations.

Fedorenko arrived at United in 2017 as part of the club’s internal reform plan, known as Project Bethlehem. The initiative was designed to modernise a once-proud academy that had been criticised for falling behind Premier League rivals such as Manchester City and Chelsea. A former Barnsley youth player, Fedorenko’s rise in scouting began at Sheffield United, where he developed a reputation for identifying top young talent. When he joined United, his mission was clear: rebuild and refocus the club’s recruitment system from the ground up.

Post-Brexit, he played a key role in shifting the club’s scouting priorities toward homegrown and domestic prospects, helping United adapt to the new transfer realities facing English academies. His philosophy combined traditional local scouting with modern data analytics and video recruitment, reshaping how the Red Devils identified the stars of tomorrow.

Fedorenko’s approach wasn’t just about signing promising teenagers; it was about building a sustainable development pipeline in line with Financial Fair Play (FFP) and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). His work has directly influenced over £200 million ($269m) in player sales, with academy graduates moving on to bring in crucial funds for the club. On the pitch, several youngsters have flourished under his watch, including Chido Obi, who made history as the youngest academy starter, and Ayden Heaven, another standout recruit. 

Fedorenko also oversaw the arrivals of some of the most exciting names in United’s youth setup, JJ Gabriel, Bendito Mantato, and Jayden Kamason. Kamason, notably, became the first player from United’s Emerging Talent Programme to sign a professional deal with the club; a clear testament to the success of the system Fedorenko helped design.

Fedorenko’s departure adds to a growing list of structural changes at Manchester United’s Carrington training base. His long-time ally, Nick Cox, who brought him from Sheffield United, has already left to become technical director at Everton. Cox’s replacement, Steven Torpey, recently joined from Brentford and will now have the task of assembling his own leadership team. United reportedly made a strong effort to convince Fedorenko to remain, but the lure of a new challenge outside the traditional club setup proved too strong.

The departures don’t stop there; Paul Brand, United’s head of performance analysis, has also exited after accepting a role at UEFA. He stayed on until his replacement, Ben Parker (formerly of Southampton), officially started on Monday, October 6.