Man Utd sign midfielder with 573 league appearances, he featured for the under-21s last Friday - report

Manchester United have announced that Englishman Tommy Rowe has joined their academy as a player-coach, succeeding Tom Huddlestone.

Huddlestone joined the Red Devils as a player-coach for their under-21s in August 2022 but left in June and has since become a first-team coach at Wigan Athletic.

Rowe has now taken his role, and he will be available to play for the under-21s as one of five permitted over-age outfield players in the Premier League 2 and the EFL Trophy.

The 35-year-old midfielder left League Two club Doncaster Rovers at the end of last season after two years and will now look to help the Red Devils youngsters with his wealth of experience on and off the field of play.

Rowe, who played 573 games across League Two, League One and Championship has already featured for the Man United youth ranks, starting for the under-21s on Friday evening in their 3-1 victory against Blackburn Rovers.

The former Red Devils youth player featured for the likes of Stockport County, Peterborough United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Scunthorpe United, Doncaster and Bristol City.

The player-coach role at Man United was formed ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, with Paul McShane appointed for the job before he retired the following summer to take up a full-time role as the club’s Professional Development Phase coach, with Huddlestone replacing him.

The various age groups at Man United have benefitted as a result of the past player-coaches during the last three years, and Rowe will be eager to make his time in the position count.