Manchester United Futuristic XI - The youthful who can be fruitful!

Signings, money flow, agent fee, club demands, speculations, rumors and transfer, fallacy news reports and beefy millions paid are more than a common sight during every transfer window. The pressure, the fan view, the watchful eyes of the coaches and the managers that the new players face is indeed a colossal ask. But, true professionalism binds the expectations and the performances tighter. Suddenly, as the Financial Fair Play comes into consideration teams will have to balance the transfers and the wages accordingly, to stay under the strict arrangement under the policies. In such cases, the Youth Setup will be the system that will be most thrived upon and along with young talents snapping up these opportunities for personal growth and establishing them as first team candidates.

In lieu of just the transfers coming in and new additions becoming surplus in amounts, disregarding the available talent is indeed a cruel option. Providing chances to youngsters at this crucial juncture can take the club forward hugely as well as foster a sense of community by providing a sense of belonging, or the opportunity to be part of a group and keeping these academy players or reserve members within the club. It also promotes healthy competition amongst youngsters and develops skills for handling success and failure.

It is here where the youth come into the limelight. When a club needs a potential addition to support the already available ammunition, the younger players are the ones who can step up from the reserves or the academy and become much more impact players or the torch bearers in this circumstances when transfers are not the solutions to the overgrowing loopholes in the current system. When the future is bright, the team is all right !

Let’s focus onto Manchester United prominently and the future prospects that the club can produce in their first team lineups (say 5-8 years from now):

Sir Alex continues to develop future England internationals and aid the growth of English football, something that can’t be said for a lot of the big teams up there, and karma has rewarded them with a deserved place at the top of the table plenty times under SAF’s reign. The above lineup depicts a shift from United’s trademark 4-4-2 to a free flowing 4-4-1-1(which maybe starting from this season itself) with Kagawa playing as the CAM. This is the formation and the lineup can be suited to the new members like Larnell Cole and Rob Brady stepping up from United’s ranks. Even playing this lineup, United can boast of solid back-up or squad strength in the form of multiple players for defense as well attack. There are backups available at each position. Smalling, Vermijl, Fornasier, Veselli, Blackett, R.Brown, Thorpe can be defensive ones. Ekangamene, Lingard, Tunnicliffe, Petrucci can serve midfield backups and Hernandez, Lawrence, King as forwards.

Post 8-10 years, is this the Futurista XI, Manchester United can boast of (Assuming no transfers in)?

Basically the above formations depends only if these players stay at the club and serving the Red Devils.

Let’s pay attention to the few new names that have popped up in these lineups that form the United’s core of attacking gauntlet in the years to come-

( The names that ply their trade at Manchester United but are unknown entities)

• Ryan Tunnicliffe – the next midfield master?

He could develop and be a box-to-box midfielder who possesses grit, passion and determination and his strength love of the tackle draws comparison with former club-captain Roy Keane. I think Ferguson might have held back from spending on a midfielder so that we don’t block Tunnicliffe and Petrucci route to the first team. We haven’t had young quality midfielder’s like them since Scholes.

• David Petrucci

His versatility and poise in the midfield plus an eye for a tackle should see David have some impact this season. Maybe the progression of Petrucci and Tunnicliffe could maybe solve some of these issues, like our inability to keep the ball and our lack of an aggressive tough tackling player in midfield who can really grab the game by the scruff of the neck. But it’s far too early to tell if they’ll be able to play at the level we require them to. Petrucci has played in a number of roles for the reserves such as a deep-lying midfielder, a more advanced midfielder or as a second striker. He’s got all the attributes to play a central midfield role.

• Jesse Lingard

His ability to play in the centre of midfield, out wide on the flanks and as a rightback bodes well. Has impressive work rate and also is a clever finisher with those well placed shots.

• Will Keane

Keane is a famous surname for any player to have to live up at Old Trafford of all players. I do think a loan this season would have helped Keane tremendously and he could have come back fighting for a place next season, such a shame for his injury. I just hope he recovers from it. I hope so, he’s a really good prospect and I wouldn’t be surprised if he follows Welbeck’s footsteps after his loan stint (if at all it happens). A talented young player and will probably step up to be the fourth striker next season.

• Larnell Cole

Possesses the technical ability and has just as much intelligence. He probably needs to be gradually moved into the first-team (Carling Cup action)

• Robbie Brady

He is a tough, no nonsense winger, really big lad but moves about well, crosses well and can score a few. He plays on the left and has a good left foot, so could see some chances. Touted as the Ireland’s greatest attacking prospect.

• Van Velzen and Kenji Gorre

They both are skillful wingers. Van Velzen born left winger can also play upfront. K.Gorre is talented winger who can ply his trade on either flanks and is the son of former Huddersfield star D.Gorre.

The plethora of talent is unending, it only depends on who stays and who leaves. Lets hope for the best! Surely Machester United’s future is in safe hands.