Manchester City line up accomplished Bundesliga coach as new Academy Director

Manchester City have identified a potential new Academy Director following the resignation of Jason Wilcox earlier this year.

Wilcox, who oversaw the development of Manchester City talents Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Rico Lewis, resigned as Academy Director at the club in January to become Southampton’s new Director of Football.

The 52-year-old won the Premier League title with Blackburn Rovers in 1995 and left the City Football Academy after over a decade, for a new role at St Mary’s.

Wilcox’s move to the south coast came following the departure of Joe Shields, who previously joined Southampton’s senior recruitment team from Manchester City’s scouting department – however Shields has since become Chelsea’s Co-Director of Recruitment and Talent.

Wilcox and Shields’ work at Southampton has subsequently impacted the Saints’ transfer activity; with Gavin Bazunu, Samuel Edozie, Romeo Lavia, Juan Larios, Shea Charles and Josh McNamara all moving from Manchester City to the Championship side.

Manchester City are still to appoint a new Academy Director since the departure of Wilcox, although The Secret Scout report that the treble-winners are lining up an accomplished Bundesliga coach for the role.

Thomas Krucken has been identified by club chiefs and is the leading candidate to become Manchester City’s new Academy Director.

The 46-year-old is the current Academy Director at Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart.

Krucken has worked at a series of German clubs; including Mainz, Hoffenheim, Arminia Bielefeld, Hertha BSC and FC Koln.

The current VfB Stuttgart employee acted as a caretaker manager at Mainz in 2018, where the 46-year-old also held three managerial roles within the academy.

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