Youth Training Observation | Development Plan for Manchester United s Young Players in the New Season

This is undoubtedly a statement that demonstrates determination. Diego Leon has not even passed security checks at Asuncion Silvio Petirosi International Airport, let alone arriving in Manchester.

"Everyone thinks I'll be loaned out, but I don't think so," he said in an interview with Paraguayan media Versus. "I will do my best in the preseason and be in the first team without a game or two."

His judgment is one very accurate: loan is not within the plan. Manchester United's second signing this summer (although the deal was finalized as early as January) is expected to stay in the team throughout the new season to better adapt to the English football environment.

Now, 18-year-old Leon has finally arrived at the Carrington training base. He has been involved in the exclusive training of the first team for the past week and a half, and head coach Ruben Amorin and his coaching staff are using this to evaluate his level.

Will he stay in the first team training system in the end or be included in the U21 echelon, and it has not yet been determined. But in any case, the young South American player will have a chance to perform in the upcoming preseason tour of Sweden and the United States, and may also play for the U21 echelon after returning to the team at least several games.

Leon may be able to make a quick promotion from now on, but he faces the same challenges as other young players in the club who are eager to make their mark in the new season.

Manchester United missed the European game for the first time in more than a decade, which means that the first team's chances of playing in the 2025-26 season will be reduced. The team played 60 games in five events last season. If Amorin's team was eliminated early in the domestic cup, the number of games in the new season may be reduced by one-third. At the end of last season, Amorin needed to allocate resources between domestic events and European wars, and 18-year-old Harry Amas was one of the beneficiaries. He formed a direct competition with Leon at the left-back position.

At present, Amas is ahead of the newcomer in the position. This was not a foregone conclusion in January, but considering that the 17-year-old started four times at the end of last season and almost never felt out of place, this result is reasonable.

However, if Amas' playing time may be limited due to Leon's arrival, he may still be on loan. Amorin has two talented young players who can provide substitutes for main player Patrick Dogu, and if necessary, veterans like Luke Shaw are available.

Toby Collier is another player who may need more playing time, which may be difficult to achieve at Manchester United. He made his mark and made his first team roster last summer’s preseason journey.

On January 3, Collier turned 21 and could barely be regarded as a young player - if he was born three days earlier, he would not meet the Premier League's definition of a U21 player this season. There are still many possibilities for him to stay: stay in the team, transfer or loan.

Other young players have become more explicitly the deep alternatives for Amorin's men.

18-year-old Aiden Haven was positioned as a competent first-team player when he joined in January. If he hadn't had an ankle ligament injury in March, his appearances would have been much more than 6 times.

17-year-old Chido Obi is also expected to get more opportunities. His jersey number has changed from No. 56 to No. 32, which is quite meaningful. In summer, it is common for young players to change their jersey number books. Most of them free up numbers for new players of the lower age group, but it is no small matter to be able to move to the mid-30s.

This season, Obi may occasionally play for the U21 team, depending on his participation in the first team, but he is expected to appear frequently in Amorin's roster. At the age of 17, he is already considered a member of the first team.

During the trip to Hong Kong at the end of the May season, the Danish U21 international scored his first goal in the senior team. It is worth mentioning that after returning to Carrington, people found that the 1.88-meter player has gained a lot of weight this summer, which may further help him transition to an adult team event.

Taylor Frederickson also changed his jersey number, from No. 55 to No. 33, and he has also participated in first-team training in the past week.

The 20-year-old player is still likely to be loaned, especially if Manchester United intends to add a central defender this summer. But in April, he made a satisfying debut against Wolves and has proved that he is competent for emergency substitutes.

Meanwhile, the more important task this summer is to help young players who are unlikely to enter Manchester United's first team open a new chapter in their careers - they may travel to three levels of the English Football League or elsewhere.

The staff of the youth training department are communicating with the players and their agents. In some cases, the club is willing to release the money at low prices or even zero transfer fees, with relevant terms attached to make room for younger players who are emerging in the youth training camp.

Some players who have already played in the first team may transfer and leave.

In January, Dan Gore was injured in his debut, making only three appearances in total, but the League One club is now in the lead in the competition to loan the 20-year-old again. 19-year-old Ethan Whitley's loan experience at Walsol was not going well. He only made four appearances in the League Two, and he hoped to have a more effective loan experience. Leaving the team on loan is likely to be his destination, but Manchester United may also consider selling if they receive a suitable offer.

Seku Cone is still waiting for his senior team's debut. The 19-year-old midfielder is seen as a member of Manchester United's "emerging talent" group - the club signed these young players in an effort to get them to quickly move closer to the first team.

You may have noticed that the same statement appears in the signing announcements of Leon and Enzo Cannabiic (18-year-old striker who joined from France as a free agent last week). Kana Biyk will be loaned to Switzerland's Lausanne Sports in the new season.

Like Leon, Conne's level is currently under evaluation before it can be decided whether he is ready to play for the first team more frequently. Leaving the team on loan or continuing to play for the U21 echelon for one season, both possibilities exist.

Goalkeeper position, Andre Onana's recent injury has raised a question: Are 21-year-old goalkeeper Radek Wittke, who performed solidly during loan last season with Austria's Linz Blue and White Team, and 19-year-old Erie Harrison, ready to serve as a substitute in the preseason? However, Manchester United's substitute goalkeepers are sufficient, including Altai Baindir, Tom Heaton and 22-year-old Demot Mi, who is currently the first-team goalkeeper. Despite his injuries, Onana will still be on a three-game trip to the United States, meaning only one of Wittke and Harrison will likely get the chance.

18-year-old Shea Lacey made her mark on the post-season tour after a year of frustration and also participated in first-team training after returning to Carrington. After suffering from injury problems, he may stay in the U21 echelon to accumulate more experience instead of being loaned. His teammate, winger Bendito Mantato, has also been on the first team roster several times in the past week. Although the 17-year-old is only a sophomore apprentice and is still eligible for the U18 event, he is expected to continue to improve on his five U21 appearances.

Godwell Kukonki's situation is similar. The 17-year-old is about to sign his first professional contract with Manchester United and has been in Amorin's roster many times last season. This 1.93-meter-tall left-footed defender often plays as a left-back in the U18 echelon, and he needs to get more playing time in the central defender position.

As some players are promoted to the U21 echelon, a new batch of players enter the U18 echelon.

The 2025 class includes 16-year-old centre-back Jaden Nwahi, who has attracted the attention of several clubs before renewing his scholarship contract with Manchester United this summer.

In addition, JJ Gabriel, who, although he was only 14 years old last season, scored 3 goals in three appearances in the U18 echelon.

Manchester United will naturally pay attention to the young player, and also need to arrange games for him among older players to promote him in challenging environments. Gabriel has promised to stay at Manchester United for the foreseeable future, and this cautious balance will continue for some time. The next challenge is to keep him after his 16th birthday, when European clubs will be able to participate in negotiations, and Carrington will step up efforts to retain this promising new star.

At least, when convincing young players that United is the right club for their development, Manchester United has a unique advantage: Since October 1937, youth training graduates have been on the roster of every game of the team.

Even in a situation where the decline in first-team games could lead to a narrowing of promotion channels, the logic that remains unchanged for 88 years still applies: as long as young players are good enough, they will get opportunities.