Liverpool are close to appointing their next U18s head coach, with a highly rated coach from Man United set to fill the void left by Marc Bridge-Wilkinson’s exit.
Bridge-Wilkinson departed Liverpool at the end of the 2024/25 campaign and the club have been searching for his successor in the months since.
While a swift decision was made to replace U21s coach Barry Lewtas with former Wales manager Rob Page, the hunt for a new U18s head coach has run into pre-season.
But according to The Athletic‘s James Pearce, Liverpool are set to hire Man United youth coach Simon Wiles in one of their most crucial academy roles.
Wiles, a former midfielder for the likes of Blackpool and Barrow, is in “advanced talks” with the Premier League champions and his arrival is expected to be announced in the near future.
He will move after less than a year at Man United, having led their U14s and U15s last season after joining from Salford City.
The 40-year-old – who has been coaching for over a decade – has senior experience from first-team coach roles at Fleetwood Town and Salford City, while he sat in the dugout on an interim basis for both clubs.
If he joins Liverpool as anticipated, Wiles will work alongside new assistant Anthony Ryan, who has been promoted from the U15s staff.
Liverpool U18s began pre-season earlier this month and beat Connah’s Quay Nomads 6-1 in their opening warmup friendly, with six different goalscorers including 14-year-old Josh Abe.
There was a sense that the youth setup had grown stale under two long-serving coaches, despite admiration for the work of both Lewtas and Bridge-Wilkinson, with the latter seen as a coach who embraced more traditional player types.
With the long-term goal to smooth the pathway from academy to first team, Liverpool will be hoping the appointment of Wiles can aid the development of their technically gifted youngsters.
Last season the young Reds finished 11th in their 13-team league, as well as being knocked out of the third round of the FA Youth Cup by Preston and semi-finals of the League Cup by Reading.
Wiles should also take charge of the U19s in the UEFA Youth League, potentially alongside Page, with Liverpool already qualified for the tournament beginning September 16.
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