Man United's Academy Stars are Gradually Getting Forgotten

VIỆT HÙNG |

Next season could be the first time in nearly 90 years that Man United will not have any mature players from the academy named in the first team.

The first time Man United named a young academy player in the first team was in October 1937. To easily visualize how long and continuous that period is, it is a 4,321-match streak and it is still continuing. The Red Devils have accumulated 44 major trophies in the process, including three European championships and won 18 of their 20 national championships.

This statistic shows that Man United has maintained this tradition of youth training for 88 years, more than 4,300 consecutive matches. Regardless of the circumstances, the young talents of the academy are still valued. However, that may not happen in the 2025-2026 season.

Marcus Rashford has arrived at Barcelona. Alejandro Garnacho is no longer in Ruben Amorim's plans. Jonny Evans has announced his retirement. Scott McTominay and Mason Greenwood have left Old Trafford for more than a year now, with very different circumstances, as well as Brand Williams.

Kobbie Mainoo is still playing, but what if the 20-year-old midfielder is injured or suspended? Mainoo missed 17 games last season and 21 more last season. So what happens if Mainoo is injured again and out for a long time, will he be liquidated early by Amorim?

Nick Cox - Man United's academy director shared that thanks to the tradition of using young players, the team has overcome many difficult periods in history such as World War II or the Munich Disaster. Without a talented young generation, Man United will not be able to recover, let alone win the C1 Cup after the terrible Munich Disaster in 1958.

Remember the 2024 FA Cup final, Garnacho and Mainoo were the ones who scored to help Man United beat Man City. To this day, it is still considered the team's best moment since the era of Sir Alex Ferguson.

Alejandro Garnacho va Kobbie Mainoo la nhung sao tre sang gia cua Man United trong 2 nam qua. Anh: AFP
Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have been bright young stars of Man United in the past 2 years. Photo: AFP

Statistics show that in the previous season, the average number of young players in the first team of Man United was 4, down from the 6 players of the previous year. Next season, that number could be the lowest in 3 decades or it will be 0.

In the post- Sir Alex era, Man United was controlled by the Glazer Family and is now INEOS. The Glazer family has not previously focused on using young players, all of which were dependent on coaches. To date, INEOS has set a very clear criterion for the team to use/recruit players aged 25 and under, but that does not mean that Carrington will have a chance. Up to now in the 2025 summer market, Man United have welcomed Matheus Cunha (26 years old), Bryan Mbeumo (25) and possibly Benjamin Sesko (23).

Ruben Amorim is being given the maximum conditions to help Man United recover. If next season M.U can earn a ticket to the European Cup but there is no "homegrown" in the squad, is it worth being really proud of?

At this time, Man United fans are suggesting that the club's board should include a clause in the operating regulations that requires the use of young players. Will this be successful and if it is successful, can the team apply it to contracts with coaches?

Nhung tai nang tre duoc cau lac bo dao tao dang dan roi bo Old Trafford. Anh: AFP
The young talents trained by the club are gradually leaving Old Trafford. Photo: AFP

Every player has to fight for a position, whether it is an outside signing or an inside force from Carrington. If the "homegrown" players cannot meet expectations, it will be difficult for them to be selected. The harsh reality and the pressure to achieve results can erase all inherent traditions, no matter how beautiful they are.

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