Manchester United will welcome back (begrudgingly retain in some cases!) their loan players ahead of the first pre-season under Ruben Amorim starting from July 7.
The noise for loan players has been dominated by the trio of Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, and Antony, but it is likely that all three have already played their last game for the club.
Despite them being at Man Utd at the time of writing, they are the past, and Ruben Amorim will want to look towards the future, in which three returning loanees can play an important part.
The squad returns to training on July 7, with the first game on July 19. For these three players, this could be the pre-season where they launched their careers at Old Trafford.
Habeeb Ogunneye, Louis Jackson, Ethan Wheatley, Ethan Williams of Manchester United in action during a first team training session at Carrington Training Ground
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
1- Ethan Williams
Unlike the other two players on the list yet to come, Ethan Williams is slightly away from a bona fide Man Utd breakout.
However, Williams impressed everyone at Cheltenham on loan last season, with his goal-scoring displays catching the eye of Man Utd fans.
As a fleet-footed, versatile attacking player, he should be rewarded for those loan displays with involvement for the senior team in the pre-season.
From there, a loan to a side in a higher division should follow, so he keeps getting challenged to develop. Williams’ manager at Cheltenham thinks he could shine for Amorim already!
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2- Ethan Wheatley
If Williams needs to be rewarded for a good loan, Ethan Wheatley needs to be reminded that he’s good enough after a nightmare spell at Walsall.
Wheatley played just four games and 168 minutes of football on a loan that ended so badly he was back playing for the U21s (and scoring) by the end of the season.
Wheatley was once highly-rated, but a single bad loan has taken the shine off him.
He’s determined to make it at Man Utd, and for that, he will have to be given a chance in the pre-season, with the hope of a better loan this season.
3- Radek Vitek
Of the three players mentioned here, Radek Vitek is the one who can make the strongest case for a genuine first-team place at Man Utd.
Vitek shone at BW Linz on loan, continuing his run of good form that began with Accrington on loan the season before.
Furthermore, he’s already impressed for United, albeit in a friendly, earning comparisons to Peter Schmeichel. United’s player/coach Tommy Lee recently tipped Vitek for the “top level” too.
Considering United’s goalkeeping situation and their search for a young No. 2 who can also challenge Andre Onana, it beggars belief that Vitek hasn’t been mentioned.
United are open to Vitek’s sale, reportedly, but it would be a huge mistake. Vitek can confirm that stance by impressing in the pre-season again.