Manchester United teenager Harry Amass is making excellent progress for the Red Devils and is on the cusp of a first team debut.
Sometimes the deals Manchester United strike at youth level turn out to be the best of the bunch. Back in 2020 a disastrous summer of transfers headed up by Donny van de Beek at £35 million, was rescued by signing Alejandro Garnacho for a six-figure fee. We just didn’t know at the time how important it would be.
Willy Kambwala also signed that same summer and has just made the step up to the first team, so these youth deals can take a little time to heat up, and some don’t work out at all.
One which is very much on track, and ahead of schedule, was the move to sign Harry Amass from Watford in summer 2023, which in time, might go onto rank alongside the other more expensive moves the club made in the same window.
Harry Amass stars for Man Utd under-21s
Harry Amass sat out Manchester United’s under-18s win at the weekend asthe team trounced Liverpool with a 9-1 victory.
This was because United had eyed him for a place in the first team squad, amid ongoing injury problems at left-back.
Amass was on the bench for the very first time against Liverpool, an unused substitute, yet an experience which will be important for his development.
It’s still important for him to play, and like fellow first team substitute Habeeb Ogunneye, he was in the starting line-up for Manchester United’s under-21s on Monday night against Brighton and Hove Albion.
Amass and Ogunneye lined up as wing-backs, with United experimenting with a 3-5-2 formation, with Charlie McNeill and Ethan Ennis leading the line.
It was Amass who gave Manchester United the breakthrough in the first half.
Receiving the ball on the left flank from Sam Murray, Amass fired in a low cross into the six-yard box which caused panic, and a Brighton defender turned it in for an own goal.
This went down as a Harry Amass assist, his first goal contribution at under-21 level, in just two games played.
He almost scored in the second half too, cutting inside on his right foot and shooting narrowly over the bar.
He came close to providing another assist late on too, with another low cross cut out after a dribble inside the box, which saw MUTV commentator Ben Thornley laud him as “superb, absolutely brilliant.”
The game ended 1-1 with Brighton scoring midway through the second half from a set piece.
The one worry came in stoppage time, with Amass appearing to pick up a late injury, but he was able to complete the game and seemed to make a strong recovery.
Pundit Reece Brown told MUTV after the game: “He’s very proactive, he’s on the front foot. Technically a very good player.
“I really like him, I think he’s a very good young footballer, I think his confidence will be sky high after the last couple of days.”
Harry Amass 2023/24 statistics
Harry Amass could feature at left-back for Manchester United
Manchester United are currently without injured left-backs Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, with options stretched defensively.
Over the past few weeks, Harry Amass has been training with the first team, with the first team coaching staff able to take a look at him.
Making the bench was a positive step for his development, and Erik ten Hag will have been interested to see how he reacted, back down at under-21 level, where he lacks experience, in an adjusted wing-back position.
Amass sent a real message, that he is ready if Ten Hag needs him. He was eager to get on the ball, keen to make an impact in the final third, and strong defensively.