Carrington on Tour: The Academy Talents That Could Impress for Man United During Pre-Season | OneFootball

With Man United struggling in the transfer market, the opportunities for the academy prospects could be huge. Under the work of Travis Binnion and Adam Lawrence, overseen by Nick Cox and Darren Fletcher, the potential in United’s most senior academy teams is rife. Flush with talent, it could help to inject the first team with much-needed quality.

Several academy prospects featured on Man United’s post-season tour. Shea Lacey, Sekou Koné, Tyler Fletcher, Reece Munro, Jack Moorhouse, Godwill Kukonki, Jaydan Kamason, Daniel Armer, and Jim Thwaites all got their first opportunity at the first-team level on the tour, joining those academy graduates already featured this season in Chido Obi, Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson, and Ayden Heaven.

Ruben Amorim has already shown interest in the youth at Man United, as he made an appearance at Carrington to watch the u21s thrash Southampton 5-1 in December, with a special performance put on by Jack Moorhouse. Amorim has a history of trusting the youth, including at his time at Sporting, where he gave first-team debuts to Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Inacio, Geovany Quenda, Dario Essugo, among many other exciting talents. A large quantity of these players became staples of the Sporting first team, showing his trust and belief in his young talents. Not only that, Manchester United’s postseason tour included a long list of academy propsects as Amorim looks to bolster his underperforming side.

The Post-Season Tour

The hype around some of these youngsters only grew during the 2 games in Malaysia and Hong Kong, particularly in the case of Shea Lacey and Sekou Koné. Koné’s name gained particular traction on social media, as his performances showcased what he could bring in an area that many believe needs development if United are to improve next season. Sekou Koné has shined this season for the under 21s, regularly breaking up the play and dictating from midfield.

He uses his body exceptionally well to keep possession and is always on the lookout for a forward pass. Due to this, he can lose possession a number of times a game but his sharpness and pressing intensity mean he wins it back so quickly. Shea Lacey’s season has been a bit different, with an injury partway through the season that kept him out for a number of months and then saw his return to action closely managed. Despite this, every time he has played, he has been influential. He shows such intelligence on the ball; either to beat a defender or to find a teammate, regularly picking up assists as well as important goals.

I think that we could expect a number, if not all, of the names above to feature again in the preseason tour. However, it is important to keep an eye on potential loan moves rumoured for the more senior academy talents in Sekou Koné and Jack Moorhouse that could affect their participation. There were also a few Carrington talents that were missing from the post-season tour that could feature next month:

Bendito MantatoBendito Mantato is a popular name amongst United fans, as they see him as a future star. At just 17 years old, he has already been included in a number of first-team squads and that’s justified based on his performances at academy levels so far. He has quickly risen through the age groups and has hit the ground running in recent times for the u21s with 2 goals and 4 assists in 3 starts. A lot of training footage has emerged of him since his surprising withdrawal from u17 Euro squad this summer, which could suggest a return for the tour if selected.

LEIGH, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 12: Bendito Mantato of Manchester United looks on during the UEFA Youth League – Group A match between Manchester United and Bayern Munich at Leigh Sports Village on December 12, 2023 in Leigh, England. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

Other Forward Players – Gabriele Biancheri & James Scanlon There are numerous attacking academy talents that could get an opportunity; none are more productive this season than Gabriele Biancheri and James Scanlon. Scanlon is already getting a taste of senior football at the international level with Gibraltar. This, alongside his almost effortless rise through the academy age groups, could aid his adaptation into the first team fold. His academy record this season speaks for itself, with 23 goals and 5 assists. More centrally, Gabriele Biancheri may be handed an opportunity to boost his interest amid a potential loan move this summer, which he hinted at when speaking to The Athletic recently.

Midfielders – Jack Fletcher, Jayce Fitzgerald, Amir IbragimovJack Fletcher and Jayce Fitzgerald are two exciting talents that were missing, with injuries often coming at unfortunate times for them this season. Amir Ibragimov has been widely regarded as a huge up-and-coming talent, so the 17-year-old could have an outside chance of minutes this preseason. His relentlessness in the high press for the academy sides is always clear to see and is definitely an attribute appreciated by Ruben Amorim, as showcased through his praise for Mason Mount.Goalkeeper – Elyh Harrison & Radek VitekWith uncertainty over the first-team goalkeeper position, Elyh Harrison & Radek Vitek may be hopeful for a chance to prove themselves with minutes. Both have impressed on their loan moves last season and seem ready to be tested at higher levels.

These feel like those in with the largest chances but a number of other Carrington profiles could also feature, with a very strong academy setup at Man United across multiple age groups.

Who is Ready for the First Team?

It is always difficult to predict which youth players can translate their abilities to make it at a first-team level, but I am going to try here! Sekou Koné and Jack Moorhouse fall into a slightly older age bracket than most of the other names mentioned here and therefore are entering into vital years of their careers. Both have impressed me greatly this season for the under-21s and look set to make the jump into senior football, even if that is via a loan move initially. These two are definitely ones to keep an eye on during the pre-season, if potential loan moves haven’t already materialised.

I also feel that Bendito Mantato and Shea Lacey should be of interest during pre-season, as their profile and position can definitely suit the current first-team setup. With Amad and Bryan Mbeumo as predominantly right-sided players, minutes for these youth talents may be hard to come-by but at least the profile that Ruben Amorim is looking for is evident and can be used to develop the youngsters. Both Mantato and Lacey are rated incredibly highly as academy talents; a showcase of their abilities in the preseason could push them towards future senior team involvement.