Manchester United’s summer hinges on the Europa League final, but the echoes of Old Trafford’s past continue to make headlines elsewhere.
With Ruben Amorim preparing for a defining few weeks that could shape the Red Devils’ Champions League fate, attention is fixed on those who might leave and the youngsters being lined up to replace them.
Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof are expected to walk away as free agents, while United’s pursuit of a solid back-three setup means youth development has never been more crucial as a squad overhaul is on the horizon as well.
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Elsewhere, academy products continue to prove their worth – just not in Manchester red.
Now, one former United talent has taken centre stage in League One, potentially booking a spot at Wembley that Old Trafford can only dream of for now.
Ethan Galbraith – once hailed as Manchester United’s “best young player outside the core first-team group” – scored the decisive penalty that sent Leyton Orient into the League One Play-Off final on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Northern Irishman calmly slotted home the winning spot-kick against Stockport County, capping off a Player of the Match performance that also included an assist for Ollie O’Neill’s goal.
Ethan Galbraith, who joined United from Linfield in 2017, made his senior debut under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a 2019 Europa League fixture against Astana.
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His early promise had many at Carrington excited, with sources at the time insisting he was destined for the top.
But after mixed loan spells at Doncaster Rovers and Salford City, and a reported dressing-down from Solskjaer during a friendly against Aston Villa, Galbraith’s Old Trafford chapter came to an end in 2023.
Despite interest from higher-level clubs, he opted for regular football at Leyton Orient.
That decision has paid off, with Galbraith playing a key role in Orient’s promotion push over the past two seasons.
His performance on Wednesday night not only brings the East London club to the brink of Championship football for the first time in over four decades – it also serves as a reminder to United of a starlet they let go.
With Galbraith now preparing for a Wembley showdown, redemption could be just one game away.
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