Man Utd sold their original Garnacho for just £1.5m

Manchester United have been known for their ability to develop youth talent into key first-team members, as seen by the current side and teams over the years gone by.

Kobbie Mainoo is just one player who’s been able to make the jump seamlessly, wasting no time in making an immediate impact with his boyhood club.

The 19-year-old made a name for himself during the previous campaign under Erik ten Hag, making his first-ever Premier League start in the meeting with Everton – claiming the Man of the Match award for his display.

The midfielder has gone from strength to strength in recent months, becoming a vital member of United’s squad, ending up with a total of 32 appearances in all competitions by the end of 2023/24.

Such displays led to an England call-up to Gareth Southgate’s squad for Euro 2024, as the Three Lions fell at the final hurdle, suffering defeat against Spain in the final.

Mainoo isn’t the only academy player currently plying his trade under new boss Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford, with one sensation already impressing under the 39-year-old.

Alejandro Garnacho’s stats for Manchester United

After arriving from Atlético Madrid back in 2020, winger Alejandro Garnacho originally linked up with the United academy setup, before making the step up into the first-team.

After a couple of years with the U18 and U21 side, he would make his senior debut for the Red Devils off the bench in the meeting with Chelsea back in April 2022.

It would be the following campaign that would allow him to become a dependable option for new boss Ten Hag, registering nine goal contributions in his debut season as a professional – a really solid return for a 19-year-old.

Garnacho endured his best-ever year last time out, notching 15 goals and assists, helping the Red Devils claim the FA Cup after scoring alongside fellow academy graduate Mainoo, preventing their noisy neighbours from a third trophy that campaign.

The now 20-year-old has continued his excellent form into the current season, notching 12 goal contributions in 20 appearances – including a goal within the first minute of the latest Europa League clash last night.

His goal was the second of the Amorim era, showcasing he has the ability to become a vital player during the 39-year-old’s reign in the North West.

However, he wasn’t the original academy graduate who was seen as a potential world-beater, with one former United ace coming through the youth system with real hype around him – but ultimately failed to deliver.

The player who was United’s original Garnacho

Not many United supporters would’ve recognised the name of Tahith Chong after joining the academy as a 16-year-old from Dutch side Feyenoord.

However, the attacker quickly demonstrated his talent, featuring at U18 level before becoming a regular in the U23 side between 2018 and 2020, making 33 appearances, scoring 16 times – earning his first-team debut during the aforementioned period.

Chong would get his opportunity off the bench for the first time in the FA Cup victory over Reading at Old Trafford back in January 2019, before also being involved in the memorable comeback win in the Champions League against PSG.

He would make a total of 16 appearances for the Red Devils, before various loans at Werder Bremen and Club Brugge, joining Championship side Birmingham City on a permanent basis for just £1.5m in the summer of 2022.

The attacker has since departed the Blues to join Luton Town as they attempted to complete the impossible and survive relegation in the Premier League last season – notching five goals that season, taking his tally to 11 since leaving the Red Devils a couple of years ago.

It’s safe to say that the youngster – who was even likened to compatriot Arjen Robben in his youth, while also idolizing a certain Ryan Giggs – never managed to reach his full potential at United, with the move elsewhere potentially getting his once-promising career back on track.

He was seen as a “big talent” a couple of years ago – in the words of former Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer – but at 24, he needs to get a move on if he is to reach the top level of European football as many expected him to as a teenager.