24 Mar 2026 10:06:30
At the start of the season, I was excited about at least seeing a couple of kids kicking on, either with us or on loans. There seemed to be a few names that seemed promising - Kone, Amass, Leon, the forward from Arsenal, Lacey, the Fletcher twins.
Doesn't look like anyone has really broken out though. What are people's thoughts on youngsters that we may see making a place for themselves next season?
PS - not counting Yoro and Heaven as they had already had the season before to break in. I continue to be optimistic re both of them btw.
24 Mar 2026 11:45:09.
Lacey should definitely get some more game time next season, especially if Amad and Mbeumo don't up their game next season.
Assume Chido Obi will get a chance next season if we let Zirkzee go without a replacement.
24 Mar 2026 14:28:42
That bunch will do well if they get 100 1st team games between them.
Not sure about Leon. I wouldn't think the Fletcher boys will make it at United from what I've seen. Amass, I don't think so. Kone, possibly; he needs time to fill out a bit. His loan, at a low standard, has not gone great.
Lacey, I'm not sure about. Talented, but often injured, and his red card was stupid, but he is young, so that can be overlooked to a degree. I'm not convinced by him, based on what I've seen of him over the last couple of years.
24 Mar 2026 14:44:12
Lacey and Gabriel look like the two that may break through and get a few appearances next season, in my opinion.
24 Mar 2026 17:58:41
Lacey and Amass were probably the two that people were talking about the most a couple years ago. I don't think they are physically or mentally ready yet for regular first team football, though a full season on loan in the Championship next season could be hugely beneficial, and they might manage to become decent squad players in the future. I think Kone is a fantastic talent, but again I can't see him making an impact for United until the 27/28 season at the earliest.
Jack and Tyler Fletcher are both good footballers, but I don't think they will be playing Premier League football on a regular basis any time soon. They would probably be best served spending at least a couple seasons in the Championship before having a crack in the Premier League.
They are probably a similar level to James Garner, perhaps a level below, and Garner only really became a fixture in the Everton side at 22/23 years old.
I've not really watched Leon enough, but it is his first season in England, and he's still very young. He would also probably benefit from a season on loan in the Championship, otherwise it will be very difficult for him to adapt to the physicality in the Premier League.
There are a few others that are very much worth watching in the youth sides. Gabriel is the obvious name, but I suspect he is 2/3 years away from being ready given his stature and age. Noah Ajayi, Jim Thwaites, and Godwill Kukonki are probably more likely to get a few games next season.
24 Mar 2026 19:58:51
Youth development is not linear. Sometimes a player needs to take a step back before they can take the next step forward. Sometimes the most promising youth players fizzle out, or just never make the step up.
In the modern game being a talented footballer is not enough, you need to be an elite level athlete as well. Sometimes players just never develop the physicality to compete in the modern game. There was definitely that worry with Harry Amass, intelligent, technically gifted, but had a small frame and could easily be bullied. He had a great loan spell with Sheffield Wednesday, and definitely developed his ability to fight it out with grown men down in the Championship. He was one of their best players and if you speak to their fans they all love him. The club made the decision though to recall him and send him back out to Norwich so that he would get another experience but for a team that plays a more aggressive, front foot, attacking style of play and who were looking to try and finish in the play-off places. In essence something more similar to what he would be expected to do at United (albeit at a lower level in the Championship). Unfortunately not long after joining them he's picked up and injury that has kept him out for a while, with the club opting for him to complete his rehab with Norwich (with the club closely monitoring) as they feel he'd still gain value experience overcoming this new adversity away from the club.
He's filled out and grown a couple more inches while he's been away, and I wouldn't be totally surprised if he had a bit of a breakthrough next season, especially if we don't sign a LB. He is still one to keep an eye on.
Diego Leon has struggled a bit with the move to England, he will need more time to settle and adapt.
Shea Lacey is the other one along side Amass who probably has the best chance of the players in that age group of breaking into the senior team. Although he has had a couple of injury issues as well as a personal family issue recently that has maybe slowed his progress.
The Fletcher twins I think will need a couple of good loans before they are really ready to see if they can step up to the senior team.
We also have Vitek and Harrison as two highly rated young keepers, but to be honest I don't think we are likely to see a goalkeeper break through from the academy into the first team. The position is too important and the club are never likely to fully trust a youth team keeper to play enough games to continue their development. The best chance we had was with Dean Henderson, but even then the club wasn't prepared to give him the chances he needed to continue to develop. Personally I'd keep loaning them out or maybe even sell them but include a buy back clause.
There are some younger lads in the under 18's who might develop, but it's a long route and there is plenty that could derail them.
The important thing is that the club ensures there is a pathway into the first team squad for our academy players. Unfortunately this season due to the record low number of games we will play without European football, and getting knocked out of the cups early there unfortunately hasn't been enough game time to give the youth the chances we would like. Our squad still needs a little trimming of players who aren't at the required level, along with bringing in quality first team players.
Ideally we should have 18 outfield players all of which are good enough to start without the level of quality dropping. That then leaves 3-4 spaces for the best academy players to train with the first team and to get onto the bench for some games, start to get 10 to 15 minutes now and then to prove themselves. Occasionally you might get a situation where there are a few injuries in one position and an academy player gets an opportunity to get a run of game and take chances to prove themselves. But we should never be in the situation where we are planning to rely on a untested youth player to HAVE to play 10-15 games a season.
25 Mar 2026 02:39:49
Be nice to see a manager put some of these players on for 10 mins to give them a go. Getting 10 seconds at the end of the game gives them nothing other than a brief taste. Lol, how Lacey did when he came in.
Bristling with energy and attacking intent, he lit up the game.
First barrier for these players is for a manager to trust them and throw them into the deep end.
25 Mar 2026 08:51:25
Yes, Lacey got sent off when he came on for acting like a teenager. He let himself down badly. I hope he learns from it, it showed him in a bad light, imo.