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Manchester United have signed Tommy Rowe to replace Tom Huddlestone in a player-coach capacity

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 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 pitch.

Rowe, who played 573 games across League Two, League One and Championship, featured for the under-21s on Friday evening in their 3-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers.

The player-coach role at Man United was formed ahead of the 2021-22 campaign, with Paul McShane appointed for the job.

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 benefited from working with the previous player-coaches during the last three years, and Rowe will be eager to make his time in the position count.