Youthful excellence is the theme at Manchester United right now, be it via players bought from outside, like Leny Yoro, Chido Obi, and Ayden Heaven, or the academy’s excellence.
Therefore, it came as a big surprise when it was revealed that Sekou Kaba had left Man Utd to join Cardiff earlier this month.
Striker Kaba was a highly-rated youngster who had made appearances for the U18s side when he was just 15, a marker of trust the club had in him.
However, he would only go on to make three appearances for the side as the quality of the group went up massively, leading to his departure from the club.
He has now made a pointed comment about his reasons for leaving Old Trafford.
Photo by /Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by /Manchester United via Getty Images
Sekou Kaba on leaving Man Utd
It can be said that Man Utd are arguably one of the best clubs in the world when it comes to giving youth players a chance to make their mark.
United kept their promise with Obi and Heaven as well, adding these two names to the list of players where the club has followed the motto of “If you’re good enough, you’re old enough”.
However, the first part of the motto is extremely important, and that’s perhaps what Kaba would have felt when he made the decision to leave United,
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In an interview with Africa Foot, Kaba made a pointed comment about first-team chances that Cardiff gave him a more direct path to, and he’ll go straight into the U21 setup instead of biding his time with the U18.
He said: “Several clubs were interested in me, including Stoke City, Swansea City, and Norwich City. But after discussions with my management team, we felt Cardiff was the best option. And we have absolutely no regrets about that decision.
“It’s an ideal setting for a great experience and to progress. I chose Cardiff because it offers me a more direct path to the first team. I’ll be playing with the U21s rather than the U18s, which is a real plus for my progression.”
Man Utd’s youth striker ranks are well-stocked
Kaba debuted for a very different U18s side, one which hadn’t yet seen the breakout of Gabriele Biancheri, didn’t have Chido Obi, and wasn’t yet introduced to United’s own “Chido Obi” in Louie Bradbury.
The striker position is arguably the most well-stocked in United’s academy ranks since they have the likes of Ethan Wheatley and Joe Hugill on loan as well in addition to the names above.
It was always unlikely that Kaba would get a chance to prove himself over talents the club clearly rated highly while adding more from outside.
Therefore, it should be appreciated that the player made a bet on himself to leave the “better” club and start anew at a place where he can grind out opportunities for himself.
Everyone at United will wish him nothing but the best. His reasoning makes complete sense.