Three Academy Graduates At Manchester United That Can Take Their Chance

With Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in position to start his first season in charge of Manchester United, players in the academy and on the fringes of the first-team will be licking their lips with anticipation.

There is just under one month left in the summer transfer window with more work needed to be done by the Red Devils, but there will some within the ranks that know there is time to impress is nearly upon them.

Here are three players that could make long-lasting impacts throughout the 2019/20 season:

Arguably Man United’s most promising player to come through the academy since Ravel Morrison, Mason Greenwood has already made his first-team debut at the age of 17.

Taken on the club’s pre-season tour to Australia, Greenwood has been fully immersed into the first-team and will have a role to play through the season under the Norwegian boss.

Talking about the young Englishman while in Australia, Solskjaer said: “Mason will definitely play more games. He has grown over the summer and I think his confidence has grown too after the Cardiff game, as he was our best player.”

The talented forward will likely feature on the right-hand side initially, even though his main position is centre forward. With the lack of an out-and-out right winger, Greenwood has the perfect opportunity to showcase his speed, agility and balance down the wing and make the position his own.

Manchester United have always said if a player is good enough, they are old enough, and so if Greenwood takes his chance, there is no reason why he cannot feature regularly in the next 12 months.

Perhaps the quietest academy graduate to have recently risen, but James Garner’s off-field personality perfectly complements his on-field game.

The England youth international’s specialities are dictating the game in possession, as well as getting his side on the front foot when recovering the ball in one quick motion. For Manchester United’s youth teams, both at U18 and U23 level, he has contributed magnificently to the tempo of matches and looking a class above nine times out of 10.

Garner is still young, only 18, but Solskjaer has seen the qualities he possesses with the ball at his feet. It also helps having Michael Carrick on the coaching staff, who played in the very same position as Garner and can nurture him as he makes more appearances for the first-team.

The Red Devils are in need of a defensive midfielder who can supplement Nemanja Matic’s minutes. Garner might not be ready for week in, week out Premier League football, but every minute he receives is allowing him to grow into the player he promises to be.  

After completing an incredibly successful season-loan loan at Aston Villa last season, in which saw the Villains return to the top flight, there is a sense of excitement ringing around over Axel Tuanzebe.

The English central defender, who is still only 21-years-old, is a dominating and technically gifted player that can add quality to Manchester United’s defence –whether used as a rotation player or starting alongside Victor Lindelof.

There is, of course, a large step up from Aston Villa to Manchester United, but the season in England’s second division appears to have done the young defender the world of good, raising his maturity levels on the pitch and becoming used to the demands of senior men’s football.

It remains to be seen as to whether Tuanzebe will go back on-loan at Villa this season, but given he has been included on the pre-season tour to Australia, Solskjaer clearly values his presence and is giving him the chance to impress.

There is no secret at Old Trafford that centre back is a position in which they need to strengthen, and if Tuanzebe plays his cards right, he might just be in the fold to get regular playing minutes at his boyhood club.

Source: Forbes.com

Powered by NewsAPI.org

Keywords:

Manchester United F.C. • Ole Gunnar Solskjær • Manchester United F.C. • Aston Villa F.C. • Transfer window • Belgium national football team • Association football • Shane Long • Manchester United F.C. • Sheffield United F.C. • Youth system • Ravel Morrison • Aston Villa F.C. • Australia national cricket team • Norway • Australia • Cardiff • Forward (association football) • Midfielder • Manchester United F.C. • James Garner • Manchester United F.C. • Michael Carrick • Association football positions • Joe Garner • Aston Villa F.C. • Belgium national football team • Midfielder • Nemanja Matić • Joe Garner • Premier League • Association football • Association football • Loan (sports) • Loan (sports) • Aston Villa F.C. • 2014–15 Premier League • Axel Tuanzebe • England • Defender (association football) • Manchester United F.C. • Victor Lindelöf • Aston Villa F.C. • Manchester United F.C. • England national football team • Football League Second Division • Defender (association football) • World of Good • Association football • Loan (sports) • Aston Villa F.C. • Exhibition game • Australia national soccer team • Old Trafford • Association football positions •