The Prospects: Jim Thwaites, Manchester United

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All action, box-to-box midfielders have always been in plentiful supply. But in recent years, those little midfield generals, like Pirlo or Croatia’s Luka Modric, have started to emerge from the Premier League academy system. For the latest in The Athletic’s Prospects series, on the young players who could become first-team regulars in the coming years, we looked at the entertaining Premier League 2 play-off semi-final between Manchester rivals United and City. And one young midfielder in particular who is starting to catch the eye of United manager Michael Carrick — a man who knows a thing or two about modern midfield play. Date of birth: December 20, 2007 (18) Thwaites is about as low-key as it gets for a young, up-and-coming player. He was born in Cumbria and has risen quietly and impressively through the Manchester United academy. The midfielder has played up in age groups, and was just 15 when picked for the under-18s in 2023-24. He made two Premier League 2 appearances that season. The following season, he continued mainly with the under-18s, scoring nine goals and supplying four assists, and helped United reach the semi-finals of the FA Youth Cup where they were knocked out on penalties by Aston Villa. He was noticed by former first-team head coach Ruben Amorim that season and was included in the senior squad for Manchester United’s post-season tour to Asia in May 2025. This season, he has mainly played for the under-18s again and was a key member of the squad that reached Thursday’s FA Youth Cup, where Manchester City gained their revenge for the PL2 semi-final defeat with a 2-1 win. But Thwaites has also played for the under-21s in Premier League 2 and he was even on the substitutes’ bench for the Premier League at Chelsea last month. He is quite small at 5ft 7in, but has forged himself a reputation with his ability to take the ball in tight situations and turn quickly. His dead-ball ability has also caught the eye. “The most Spanish of English midfielders” was how one regular United youth-team watcher described Thwaites to The Athletic before the game, and it was easy to see the comparison with a more continental style of play in the teenager’s approach. Thwaites looked completely at ease taking possession deep inside United territory with that nimbleness to turn away from pressure. It is a role fraught with risk. If he is caught or panics and loses the ball in such an area of the pitch, he knows the rearguard will be exposed and under pressure. But Thwaites was extremely composed whenever collecting the ball between his two central defenders. He oozed confidence. Early on, Thwaites took possession and, as a City player closed him down, set his opponent down with a feint before moving forward gracefully. His eventual pass pass that led to a chance for a team-mate. While many of his 45 passes in the game were short, there were also several examples of his ability to switch play with long diagonal balls to the flanks. Nine of his passes were also into the final third of the pitch as he looked to attack as well as keep the United ticking from deep, and he had an impressive pass success rate of 91 per cent. Unfortunately, there were no opportunities to see him in a free-kick situation in this game, but he did have one long-range effort on goal which was deflected wide. United had come from a goal down to lead 4-1 but, in the second half, it was more about staying calm and weathering the inevitable City tide of attacks at the Joie Stadium where City’s under-21s play. What was most impressive about Thwaites was his work rate. He never stood still. He was constantly moving, whether to offer himself to receive a pass from a team-mate or to shuffle around to screen the back four as City came at them. Not surprisingly, he was ranked first among the United players for fouls won (three) and possession won (four) in the game, and he won five of the seven duels he contested. United eventually won 4-3 to book a place in the PL2 final against Brighton & Hove Albion. Thwaites made his mark in Thursday’s FA Youth Cup final, providing the first-half cross that was headed in by Godwill Kukonki for the team’s equaliser even if that evening ended in disappointment and a 2-1 loss. Regardless Carrick, watching on from the stands on both occasions, will have been impressed with what he saw. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms