Manchester United’s first team is already benefitting from the club’s impressive academy developing top stars.
Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo are in, Willy Kambwala hopes to follow in their footsteps, and the latest batch of under-18 talents are looking to reach the next level too.
The under-18s clinched the Premier League North title this week, going through the season with losing only one league game, the first time the club has done so since 2017/18.
Erik ten Hag congratulated the players, several of who have already made in-roads into the first team.
Manchester United best under-18s players
There have been as many as 30 players featuring during the season for the under-18s, with some stepping up from the 16s, and others jumping up to the 21s.
Of course, there have been some standout performers, who could follow Garnacho and Mainoo into the first team.
Former Manchester United academy prospect Danny Webber named four players who have caught his eye.
Danny Webber told The Debate: “Its development football first and foremost but it’s where you start learning you have to win football matches as well, it’s getting that blend right, learning, picking up everything from the seniors, thinking ‘I want to be a part of it’.
“You’ve got to win games, you’ve got to learn how to be a team, it’s not about individuals, and you can see as a result of that, they have shone as individuals that have had fantastic games.
“The likes of Ethan Williams has been outstanding, Shea Lacey, Finley McAllister, you could go on and on and on, Harry Amass who has come in from Watford, has been outstanding. Within that team structure, they learn how to shine as individuals, and get the rewards for it.”
Four players making big progress
Harry Amass has impressively already made the Manchester United first team bench, joining Habeeb Ogunneye, who also began the season with the under-18s.
Striker Ethan Wheatley has also been among the first team substitutes, while Ethan Williams and Shea Lacey have both trained at first team level.
Finley McAllister will hope to force his way into the mix too, and when pre-season comes around, these players will have a chance to really make a statement.
With the club’s Premier League campaign veering off course, there is added reason to throw in some of the youngsters, and we could see a few more debuts before the end of the current season.