Kobbie Mainoo has become the latest Manchester United youngster to burst onto the scene, making an instant impact with his composure and comfort on the ball in the midfield and a fine solo winner against Wolves.
But he is far from the first and no doubt will not be the last United youngster to make a flying start. Here we look at some of the other academy products who made a bright beginning to life in the first team and how their careers have panned out so far…
Adnan Januzaj
Embed from Getty ImagesThe attacker came through the ranks at United after moving to England from his native Belgium. He scored twice on his first start for the club to help his side come from behind to beat Sunderland and impressed with his early displays in a red shirt.
But he would struggle to build on an impressive start at the club, being loaned out to Borussia Dortmund and then Sunderland before leaving Manchester permanently for Real Sociedad in 2017. Now 29, he plays his football for Sevilla. A decent career but one which failed to deliver on the promise of his early form.
Marcus Rashford
The biggest name to come through the academy and into the Red Devils first team of late. Rashford burst onto the scene in the most obvious of ways, scoring twice on his first-team debut against Danish club Midtjylland and then twice again in his Premier League debut against Arsenal a few days later.
It was a fine debut season from the forward who would continue to build on his early success throughout the rest of his United career, scoring 81 goals in 262 Premier League games for the club to date. He has had his ups and downs but is no doubt a big success story for the United academy, winning the FA Cup, two League Cup trophies and the Europa League with his boyhood team.
Federico Macheda
The Italian striker quickly made himself known to Premier League fans when he scored the winner in a 3-2 victory over Aston Villa in 2009. He would go on to score another four goals for the club but failed to nail down a regular place in the team and was loaned out to Sampdoria, QPR, Stuttgart, Doncaster Rovers and Birmingham City before he joined Cardiff City permanently in 2014.
Now 32, he plays his football in Turkey with Ankaragücü.
Ravel Morrison
Embed from Getty ImagesA player who is often referenced as one of the most talented players to come through Manchester United’s academy but who ultimately failed to deliver on that potential. After some encouraging early appearances for Morrison in a red shirt, he left the club to join West Ham and while occasionally showing glimpses of what he is capable of, has not enjoyed a career deserving of his raw talent.
Now 31, he is currently without a club having last played in the MLS with DC United.
James Wilson
Embed from Getty ImagesAnother of Manchester United’s youngsters to score two goals on his debut, James Wilson hit the headlines in 2014 with a Premier League brace against Hull City but after several loan spells away from the club at Brighton, Derby, Sheffield United and Aberdeen, he left to join the latter permanently in 2019 before going on to play for Salford City and Port Vale, where he currently remains.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson
Embed from Getty ImagesLeft-back Borthwick-Jackson got his first-team opportunity at United due to injuries in the 2015-16 season and quickly drew plaudits for his energy and athleticism out wide. He went out on loan to Wolves with the aim of furthering his development following an impressive start to life in senior football but it never quite happened for him again at the top level and he now plays in Scotland with Ross County.
Darron Gibson
Embed from Getty ImagesThe central midfielder looked as though he would be a key player for years to come at Man Utd after starting alongside Paul Scholes in the 2009 League Cup final, which United won, and later that season scoring his first league goal for the club against Hull City. The following year, he scored twice in the League Cup quarter-final and even played in the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, in which also he scored.
After winning the Premier League with the club, limited opportunities for game time eventually saw him join Everton but while he impressed on the pitch, injuries hampered his career and he would go on to play for Sunderland and then Wigan Athletic. He last played for Salford City, the club owned by some of his former United team-mates.
Anthony Elanga
One of the more recent Manchester United academy graduates, Elanga scored on just his second Premier League appearance for the club in 2020 and impressed when given the opportunity but last year opted to leave for Nottingham Forest in order for more game time. He has made 23 Premier League appearances for Forest this season, scoring five times and assisting six goals.
