MANCHESTER UNITED fan Cameron Jerome has joined his boyhood club as an academy coach.

The 40-year-old former striker broke into first-team football at Cardiff in 2004 and went on to enjoy a successful career.

He helped Birmingham get promoted into the Premier League and also represented Crystal Palace, Stoke and Norwich in the top flight, with Derby and MK Dons among his other sides.

Jerome retired in 2024 after a stint with Bolton to launch his own business mentoring young players.

The 10-cap England Under-21s striker is one of four new staff brought in to focus on player development across age groups at United’s famous academy, per Training Ground Guru.

Jerome, who scored 163 goals in over 700 senior appearances, will work as an individual development coach with Adam Lawrence’s Under-21s. 

It is a huge break in his coaching journey at a club he supported as a boy.

After Mark Hughes replaced Tony Pulis at Stoke in 2013, he revealed: “I was a big Manchester United fan as a kid so I watched the manager quite a few times.”

United have also added Peter Sturgess as a ‘casual coach’ in a bid to bring in more people capable of mentoring rising stars on and off the pitch.

Sturgess is in the FA Coaching Hall of Fame and came out of retirement to accept the post, bringing decades of experience.

Unfortunately, the move is unlikely to help sway the mind of teenage prodigy JJ Gabriel, who has reached a verbal agreement with Real Madrid.

The 16-year-old — regarded as one of the brightest talents in Europe — got himself a Cypriot passport, which could help him navigate post-Brexit transfer rules.

In most cases, British players cannot move to overseas clubs before turning 18, but an EU passport solves the issue.

The Londoner, whose mother has Greek-Cypriot roots, has not returned to the club since handing in a de-registration letter on September 14 after a row over first-team opportunities.

SunSport understands United are prepared to pursue legal action if transfer or registration rules have been breached.

Gabriel was expected to become the club’s youngest ever player in September’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton, but he did not feature and now his family want out.

Manager Michael Carrick said after Gabriel’s wish to leave emerged: “We’ve got to be really careful of the whole situation.

“He’s a young boy. He’s 15 and, for me definitely, and from a club point of view, looking after our younger players – their welfare, their well-being, their exposure – we’ve got to be really conscious of that in this situation.”

Gabriel has been training with private coaches in Spain, although a lack of competitive matches is a major concern for a developing talent.

United will receive a small compensation payout if he leaves, but nothing compared to the gifted playmaker’s true value.