Manchester United are a football club where academy products prospering in the first team courses through its veins.
The Red Devils had a very disappointing season last year but youngsters Toby Collyer, Chido Obi, Harry Amass and Tyler Fredricson all made their first team debut.
The year before that, Kobbie Mainoo broke onto the scene and Ethan Wheatley was also given a brief chance to impress.
Consequently, supporters of the club were asked by The Peoples Person, which player did they think was most likely to be given a first team debut this season?
Runaway leader The results from the poll indicate that readers feel that one academy player is heads and shoulders above the rest.
48% believe that Sekou Kone will be given the chance to impress in the first team at some point this season.
The Malian was brought to United in the summer of 2024 in an exciting youth recruitment drive. He impressed during the end of season tour to Asia and will hope to gain regular minutes for the youth sides this season.
Kone picked up a serious head injury in August but thankfully, he should be able to play quite soon.
It has also been reported that the emergence of Kone was one of the reasons that the club decided not to pursue a midfielder this summer.
Jack Fletcher In a distant second place, Darren Fletcher’s son Jack was voted as the second most likely academy player to make his debut this season with 18% of the vote share.
The 18-year-old has impressively risen through the Man United ranks and has been in and around the first team during pre-season.
Interestingly, Fletcher is a midfielder like Kone, so it is perhaps an indication of where fans feel there is a lack of depth in the first team squad and an opportunity for an academy product to make a claim for a place in the first eleven or from the bench.
Bendito Mantato 17% of fans felt that Bendito Mantato was the next in line to make his debut for the first team.
The 17-year-old Mancunian was impressive during United’s run to the Youth Cup semi-final last year and is an exciting wing back.
As Ruben Amorim makes use of attacking full backs, it is perhaps logical that he may look to this area of the academy to blood some youth.
The rest 8% of people polled felt that Ethan Williams would be the next player to be given the chance to shine.
The youngster moved to Falkirk on loan after the poll was created, so is unlikely to get the chance this season to make his mark in the United first team.
Nonetheless, he scored during the pre-season tour of the United States and impressed during his loan at Cheltenham Town last season, so he is likely to be one to watch over the next year or two.
Only 3% felt Gibraltar international James Scanlon would make his debut and only 2% backed Jaydan Kamason.
4% of pollsters believe that another youngster will be given the chance to show Amorim what he can do in the first team this season with perhaps the likes of Shea Lacey or Gabriele Biancheri being given their moment.
Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social
Alex Browne Alex is a huge Manchester United fan, inspired by greats of his homeland such as George Best, Harry Gregg and Norman Whiteside. Proud owner of such niche shirts such as Kleberson, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Gary Neville. Grew up pretending to be Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the back garden, with little success.
