Ultimate United
United's Loan Stars 2017-18 10 Nov 2017 15:22
A look at how Manchester United’s loanees are getting on this season, and how their prospects for an Old Trafford career are looking.
By Philip Meese, Chief Editor
So far this season, Manchester United have loaned out eight of their young players. In some cases it will be to hone their skills for a potential push to the first team. Jesse Lingard is a player who had several loan spells before finally becoming a United regular. Even David Beckham was once loaned out, eighteen months before he scored that memorable halfway line goal against Wimbledon.
In some cases, the loan spell will be to put them in the shop window, readying them for the likelihood of a career away from the Old Trafford spotlight. Here is how this season’s loan rangers are faring this term.
Sam Johnstone – Aston Villa
The goalkeeper is very well thought of at Old Trafford, but is unfortunate to have David de Gea and Sergio Romero blocking his path to the first team. He has been at the club since before Edwin van der Sar retired, and has been out on loan so many time that he has more than 100 league appearances to his name, across League One and the Championship.
He had a successful spell at Aston Villa in the second half of last season, which saw him keep more clean sheets than any goalkeeper in the division over that period of time. In the summer they returned to take him back for a full season, and despite a shaky start, which saw some sections of the crowd baying for Steve Bruce to be sacked, they have fought their way into the play-off places. Johnstone has started all 16 of Villas league games this season, keeping eight clean sheets so far.
At the age of 24, having never played a competitive game for United, and his contract expiring next summer, it seems that his future lies away from Old Trafford. On this showing, however, if Villa don’t return to the top flight this season, you can bet that plenty of Premier League teams will have already taken note of his impressive performances. The bonus with this being that, if United don’t exercise their option to extend his contract by a further year, he will cost his new employers nothing.
Regan Poole – Northampton Town
A surprise signing from Newport County in January 2015, the Welsh centre-back has mainly been deployed in midfield since Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink took over as manager two months ago. He featured in their 1-0 win over Blackpool two weeks ago, as well as their goalless draw in the F.A. Cup against Scunthorpe United last weekend. Poole has made ten appearances in total, although Northampton are currently in the relegation zone, despite winning their last two games.
Poole has already made his first appearance for United, given his debut by Louis van Gaal as a substitute against FC Midtjylland in February 2016. Still only 19, Poole will no doubt benefit from the rough treatment handed out in lower league football, and will fancy his chances of forging a career at Old Trafford, given that he made his debut on the same day as Marcus Rashford.
Dean Henderson – Shrewsbury Town
Another goalkeeper who has a lot of obstacles blocking his path to the first team. The 20 year old will hope that the rest of the season goes as well as the first part. Shrewsbury currently sit at the top of League One, a point clear of Wigan Athletic, and seven clear of third placed Bradford City. Their unbeaten start to the season was finally ended by Peterborough United two weeks ago.
Henderson has kept seven clean sheets from his 14 league appearances this season, including two in his first two games. If he keeps up this kind of form until the end of the season, Shrewsbury will fancy their chances of getting automatic promotion to the Championship. While this is unlikely to boost his prospects of breaking into the United first team, it will no doubt gain attention from bigger clubs.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson – Leeds United
It has been a strange couple of years for the young left-back, who impressed after being given his United debut under Louis van Gaal. When José Mourinho took charge, a loan spell to Wolves seemed to make sense, the feeling being that he would nail down a first team spot before coming back to Old Trafford to compete for his place. It ended up being a disaster. When Paul Lambert took over, Borthwick-Jackson was phased out of the squad completely, and returned to United to play in their under 23 side for the second half of the season.
A fresh season-long loan spell, this time to Leeds United, was arranged in the summer, wth the hope that the Manchester-born defender could get his career back on track. So far he has made just one league appearance, plus three more in the Carabao Cup. Leeds currently sit tenth in the Championship, just three points off the play-offs. If Borthwick-Jackson wants to make a success of his Old Trafford career, this could be his last chance to do so.
Devonte Redmond – Scunthorpe United
An unknown quantity amongst most United fans, the 21 year old midfielder is on loan at Glanford Park until January. So far he has yet to feature heavily for the League One side, who currently sit fifth in the table. Redmond has made three appearances, with his biggest contribution coming in a penalty shootout against Notts County in the Carabao Cup on his debut. He scored one of the spot kicks, helping his side through to the next round against Middlesbrough, where they were eliminated. If he doesn’t begin to feature more often very soon, it’s hard to imagine his loan spell being extended.
Tim Fosu-Mensah – Crystal Palace
A move that seemed to make perfect sense at the start of the season, has not gone quite as expected. Palace have had a disastrous start to the season, which saw new manager Frank de Boer sacked after four straight defeats without scoring a goal. Fosu-Mensah, however, was praised by many sections of the Palace support for the attitude and passion that he showed, despite the poor performances by those around him.
The Dutchman has made eleven appearances so far, and although he has been in and out of the team since Roy Hodgson took over, he has already done plenty to suggest that this will not be a loan spell wasted. Like Borthwick-Jackson, Fosu-Mensah impressed when given a chance by van Gaal. He is 19, with his whole career ahead of him, and a successful season at Selhurst Park could see him challenge for a place at Old Trafford next season.
Matty Willock – FC Utrecht
A surprising choice of loan destination for the young midfielder, who was once on Arsenal’s books. Willock was loaned out to Dutch side FC Utrecht in the summer, and has yet to fully make the breakthrough. He has made just two appearances for the senior side, scoring once in a 6-0 cup victory over Ajax Amateurs. He has also made an appearance for Utrecht’s B side. It remains to be seen what is to be gained from this, for both club and player.
Andreas Pereira – Valencia
Of all the players United have sent on loan this season, this one disappointed both the fans, and apparently José Mourinho, the most. Pereira has been threatening to break into the United first team for a few years now. Two years ago he scored his first goal for the club, in a League Cup victory Ipswich Town, but was barely used by van Gaal after that. He scored against Wigan Athletic in a pre-season friendly in 2016, which was Mourinho’s first game in charge of the club.
He spent last season on loan at Spanish side Granada, and although the team were relegated from La Liga, Pereira was judged to have been a success. He scored five goals over 37 appearances, and much was expected on his return to Old Trafford. It is not surprising that Valencia were impressed by his spell in Spain, but his manager was not happy that he chose what seemed to be the easy option, rather than stay and fight for a place. In recent weeks that fight might have been quite easy to win, given how many injuries United have had in midfield.
While Pereira has not always been an automatic starter at the Mestalla, he has scored once from his ten appearances, and the general feedback is that he has settled in well. His quality doesn’t seem to be in question, but the fact that he has annoyed his manager places a question mark over whether he has any long term future at United. If he doesn’t, there won’t be any shortage of interest in his services, should Mourinho sell him.
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