Injury expert Ben Dinnery has been reacting to Manchester United’s move for head of athletic development Matt Walker, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Walker joining Man United

United may not have made any first-team signings for Erik ten Hag as of yet, but the club have agreed a deal to bring in Walker, formerly of Cambridge United.

He has joined the club as head of athletic development and will work closely with United’s youth teams ranging from the under-17s to under-23s.

He was hailed as doing an ‘exceptional job’ with Cambridge as head of performance, and Dinnery believes that a move for Walker is an ‘important’ one for the Red Devils.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts to Walker appointment

Dinnery, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding United’s move to bring in Walker.

The injury expert described it as ‘absolutely massive’ and a ‘fantastic role’, going into detail on Walker’s role with the crop of academy stars:

“Walker is working at an age group where kids are developing into adults.

“You have that transitional phase. You’re moving from functional training to a very serious, goal-driven style of training. You need to understand why you’re doing what you’re doing and the wider picture behind it.

“You need to look at the development and long-term impact of playing in competitive sports. To move on to the next level, these guys in the coaching department are pivotal.

“Without that foundational model and those building blocks, the players are going to be ill-prepared. It’s massive, absolutely massive. It’s important to get that right, and it’s a fantastic role to work with those young people.”

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The Verdict: Good to see

United lifted the FA Youth Cup for the 11th time last month and their first since 2011, defeating Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford in front of more than 67,000 supporters.

It’s clear to see that an exciting crop of future stars are coming through at Carrington, so bringing in someone like Walker to help with the physical transition seems to be a wise move.

The step up to the first team nowadays is huge, so having a head of athletic development in the academy could prove to be a smart decision which goes under the radar in an Old Trafford rebuild under Ten Hag.

In other news: Sky Sports relay big Man Utd news as Ten Hag plots move for English star