LEEDS UNITED have announced Javi Gracia’s assistants, with Michael Skubala remaining in the first-team set-up following two matches as interim Head Coach.

RIGHT TO DREAM are poised to launch a club and Academy in the United States, according to their Founder and Group CEO Tom Vernon. He tells Training Ground Guru that the idea is to combat the pay-to-play system, which “is excluding a lot of kids of potential from making it.”

KENNY BROWN has been appointed permanent Academy Manager at West Ham, having held the job on an interim basis following the departure of Ricky Martin in November.

PROFESSOR David Sumpter says Ajax are like a 'University of football' and are building an understanding of the game from the foundations up. Here he explains why - along with Ajax's Head of Sport Science and Data Vosse de Boode.

DERBY COUNTY have hired Oxford United’s Mark Thomas to become their new Head of Recruitment. Thomas joined Oxford in 2014 and the club have thanked him for “bringing in players who have starred” and “building a modern recruitment department.”

DAVID HARRISON has left Everton after almost three decades to become the new Director of Football Operations at Manchester United. He takes over from Alan Dawson, who will leave the club after 11 years at the end of July to “pursue new opportunities.”

SAM JEWELL has been appointed Head of Recruitment at Brighton following Paul Winstanley’s move to Chelsea.

CHELSEA Under-21s assistant Jon Harley has left the club after a decade to become assistant at Portsmouth.

OUR Scouting and Recruitment Webinar is back for a second edition and again provides industry insights from leading experts in the game.

EVAN FERGUSON and Andy Moran both joined Brighton's Academy at the age of 16 from clubs in the League of Ireland. However, the way they were developed after that was completely different, as former Brighton Academy Manager John Morling tells TGG.

EVERTON have appointed Tom Kearney and Dan Copnall as their new Assistant Heads of Coaching as they continue to revamp their Academy.

PROFESSOR David Sumpter is a pioneer of the application of data science in football and has worked with leading teams including Ajax, Barcelona, Hammarby and England. In Episode #46 of the TGG Podcast he gives insights into his work and predictions for the future.