Four players most likely to become Manchester United's history making academy graduate - opinion

Carrington is approaching a landmark which could be achieved this season, but who could be the Manchester United player to do it?

The Manchester United academy is among the world’s best, boasting some of football’s biggest names as graduates.

The likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs who are all Class of 92′ members who went on to become club legends.

Through the same doors more recently have walked Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo who could all go on to become legends at the club in their own right.

Omari Forson became the 249th academy graduate in January and now speculation has emerged over who could be the history-making 20th.

Let’s have a look at the options and when it could happen.

Harry Amass

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Probably the name fans expect to be next up for Erik ten Hag is Harry Amass. The 17-year-old recently signed his first professional contract with United and looks destined to succeed Luke Shaw as the club’s long-term left-back.

Thriving this season across various levels, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Amass handed an opportunity this season, with both Shaw and Tyrell Malacia injured.

This could be a cameo late in the season or even a start, with much depending on how the final few weeks of the season go for United.

He absolutely will be on the fabled wall of graduates at some point, it’s just whether it happens to be the 250th that is the question.

We think he might be.

Ethan Wheatley

One player who might fancy his chances at being the next player on this list is Ethan Wheatley. The 18-year-old striker has been impressive this season and looks to have improved in numerous areas.

In the U18s this campaign he has scored five and assisted two in just six games. He has also scored at U21 level, with two and an assist in seven games.

With Rasmus Hojlund needing support and Marcus Rashford not loving his role down the middle, an academy striker could be drafted in to back-up the Dane as the season closes up.

Wheatley will be confident of being ahead of Charlie McNeill in the pecking order with the 20-year-old showing less promise than his younger teammate.

Ethan Williams

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Along with Amass, Ethan Williams is a player who absolutely deserves a senior debut after the season he’s had at youth level.

Williams has come into his own this campaign, with the ‘highly thought of’ winger scoring or assisting 22 goals this campaign.

He has transferred his impressive form seamlessly from U18 to U21 level so logically, the next step would be a senior debut.

It’s unlikely he will be starting a game while United chase Champions League football, but Ten Hag could and should hand him a spot on the bench and a cameo at some point.

19 in November, Williams will probably want a sign he can get minutes here or could be best served heading on loan this summer, he deserves a chance though.

Toby Collyer

The final name on the list is 20-year-old midfielder Toby Collyer who the manager has already shown signs of liking.

Collyer has been on the bench for Ten Hag in four of the last five games, with the FA Cup win being the only exception.

With Casemiro’s fitness issues and Christian Eriksen not quite favoured, it could be an opportunity late this season for a young midfielder to stake a claim to be in the squad.

Collyer looks best placed for this, and at 20 he isn’t a player who can afford to be in the academy for too much younger without senior minutes.

We can see Collyer being handed a cameo late on this season, he might even be the next name on the list if that comes soon enough.

Who will be the next academy debutant?

These four names are who we view as most likely to be the 250th graduate of the history-making academy, but there are others who could make their debut first.

Habeeb Ogunneye is one who we wouldn’t be surprised by either at right-back to give Diogo Dalot some rest in the season’s final stretch.

Of all these names though, we see Amass being next simply because of the injury crisis in his position and the fact he could be a world-class prospect, who also looks capable of making an immediate impact.

But we won’t know until Ten Hag names his line-up…