West Ham: Man Utd gamble was worth a go even if it didn't pay off: View | OneFootball

Ravel Morrison has endured a career that many continue to analyse and debate over why he didn't go quite to the very top with Manchester United - but his spell at West Ham United is never completely talked about when it comes to his failed potential.

Morrison joined the Red Devils as a youngster, rising through the ranks and signing his first professional contract at the age of 17. The then-starlet was straight into the edges of the first-team, making his debut in the EFL Cup - but first-team chances were hard to come by, making just three appearances in cup competitions for the Red Devils before he left for West Ham having never really had a chance to shine at Old Trafford.

Many have questioned his mindset, dedication and commitment to the game, though that wasn't quite evident when he joined West Ham as a 19-year-old; and despite his time at Upton Park never really working out, it was absolutely a gamble worth taking.

Why Ravel Morrison's West Ham gamble was worth a go

Morrison linked up with Sam Allardyce in East London in the hope of earning regular game time, and after making his debut shortly after his 19th birthday, he appeared set to be a regular fixture for the club in the Championship.

However, he made just one appearance in the Hammers’ six month-spell in the second-tier before they won promotion in the play-off final at Wembley; and a loan spell at Birmingham the following season saw him pick up more game time. His best season by all accounts was back in 2013-14, where he featured 16 times for the Irons in the top-flight, scoring three goals - but from there, his stock never quite rose.

Morrison’s off-field issues have become apparent since, and West Ham offered him a new lease of life away from his home roots in the north west where he could well have blossomed to start to earn plaudits from across the nation. And whilst a number of spells throughout the years have seen him fail to find a permanent home for so long, Morrison was well worth the punt for the Irons upon their eventual promotion back to the Premier League - even if the gamble taken by transfer chiefs didn’t quite pay off.

As aforementioned, Morrison has found it hard to find a permanent home throughout his career - with no less than 13 different clubs including loan spells by the age of 30.

He has only made 191 appearances in all competitions throughout his career, nowhere near enough to have cemented his name in footballing greatness; at least not the way he was billed as a youngster at Old Trafford.

Barring a 36-game run of games for Derby County in the Championship in 2021-22 and 27 appearances for Birmingham on loan in 2012-13, Morrison hasn’t featured in more than 20 league games in a season throughout his career - and having been at clubs such as Italian giants Lazio, MLS outfit DC United, Mexican side Atlas and Swedish minnows Ostersund, it’s a truly random career that not many in the world would have predicted at the start of his promising career.

He is currently without a club, having left DC United at the turn of the year.

What has followed Morrison throughout his career has been the floods of former Manchester United staff stating just how good he was at youth level.

Rio Ferdinand said that Alex Ferguson was so complimentary of Morrison after he made his debut. In an interview with talkSPORT. Ferdinand said: "I asked for five words from Fergie, Sir Alex Ferguson. He text me back this: 'Rio, my first and last impression of Ravel as a young lad was he has always got time and space."

"Always available to be on the ball. So unusual for a lad of his age. Give my regards to him, please. Another thing about Ravel which I've always treasured, which no other player who made their debut did it, after the first game in the first team that he played, the next morning he came to my office and gave me a letter thanking me for giving him his debut. I was gobsmacked, Rio. The boy had a good heart. He was just beaten by his background'."

Another United man, scout Phil Brogan - who found Morrison - said that the former prodigy was better than Paul Pogba at youth team level.

"On pure talent, I would say Ravel Morrison was better than Paul Pogba. Of course, Pogba had his many qualities—he was strong and athletic—but he couldn’t do the things Ravel could do; no one could. The other boys were in awe of Ravel. He just looked as though he was destined to be the best.”