Manchester United have a lot to review in the summer of 2025, including the performances of last season’s loanees.
Failure to qualify for European football in 2025/26 means Manchester United will need a smaller squad, as there will not be enough playing time to go around.
This means that along with being ruthless with player sales, United are likely to send a number of players out on loan.
But as we year after year, loan deals are very difficult to get right. The Red Devils had 18 players out on loan during the 2024/25 season. Let’s take a look back at how they all fared, with a star rating out of five for each…
Radek Vitek (BW Linz)
Games played: 28
Goals conceded: 37
Clean sheets: 7
Promising goalkeeper Radek Vitek put in a very promising season on loan at Austrian side Blau Linz, helping them to a top-six finish.
Vitek was first choice for the club, playing regularly and gaining experience. This was an excellent loan spell, arguably United’s best young player loan this past season.
Date from Sofascore shows he conceded an average of just 1.32 goals per game, and made only one error.
Verdict: ****
Radek Vitek infographic
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Elyh Harrison (Chester)
Games played: 18
Goals conceded: 16
Clean sheets: 7
Elyh Harrison spent the first half of the season out on loan at National League side Chester, where the young goalkeeper impressed, with seven clean sheets in 18 appearances.
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Harrison, 19, will hope to get a chance in pre-season to show that he should be part of Ruben Amorim’s plans for the future.
Verdict: ***
Tom Wooster (Farsley Athletic)
Games played: 11
Goals conceded: 19
Clean sheets: 4
Youth goalkeeper Tom Wooster, 20, gained experience in non-league, keeping four clean sheets in 19 games. This was valuable experience, but he is now looking for a new club after being released.
Verdict: **
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Rhys Bennett (Fleetwood Town)
Games played: 38
Goals: 2
A strong season out on loan for Manchester United’s former Youth Cup winning captain. Rhys Bennett completed a full season in League Two.
He told Fleetwood’s website he enjoyed the step up from youth football, commenting: “It’s been such a beneficial experience that I’ve really enjoyed. I much prefer to play in front of crowds, it’s given me plenty of adrenaline this season.
“I’ve given myself a good platform for next year. I want to build on it and strive for bigger and better things.
“I’ve been about the first-team setup at United. But I’ll treat it the same as if I was here. I’ll never give anything less than 100%, and put everything into it.”
Verdict: ****
Sonny Aljofree (Accrington Stanley)
Games played: 27
Goals: 3
After a couple of brief loans without playing time, Sonny Aljofree had a better experience in 2024/25, playing regular football in League Two.
Aljofree earned a man of the match award late in the season after scoring in a draw with Carlisle, and he has proven he is able to contribute in the Football League.
Verdict: ***
Jack Kingdon (Rochdale)
Games played: 16
Goals: 0
Jack Kingdon enjoyed his first taste of senior football with a loan in the second half of the season at National League side Rochdale.
Kingdon’s contract at United expires this summer and he is set to leave the club. He has already been linked with Championship clubs Leicester City and Wrexham.
Verdict: **
Louis Jackson (Tranmere Rovers)
Games played: 0
A disappointing loan spell for FA Youth Cup winner Louis Jackson, who was a deadline day mover to Tranmere Rovers in January.
Jackson failed to make his debut, although did make the matchday squad, an unused substitute three times.
Verdict: *
James Nolan (Inverness Caledonian Thistle)
Games played: 33
Goals: 1
Promising full-back James Nolan spent the full season on loan in Scotland’s second tier, and managed to play regularly.
Nolan’s situation mirrors Jack Kingdon, he is set to leave Manchester United when his contract expires this summer.
Verdict: ***
Photo by Ben Gal/BSR Agency/Getty Images
Photo by Ben Gal/BSR Agency/Getty Images
Tyrell Malacia (PSV Eindhoven)
Games played: 12
Goals: 0
After missing the entire 2023/24 season through injury, Tyrell Malacia being back playing football is a step in a positive direction.
Malacia joined PSV in January and ended up winning the Eredivisie title and playing in the Champions League. But it’s uncertain whether they would want to activate their £8.3 million purchase clause.
His performances were criticized by Dutch media pundits, who felt he should have offered more, unable to nail down the starting left-back spot.
Verdict: **
Ethan Ennis (Doncaster Rovers)
Games played: 17
Goals: 0
A standout performer for the academy in the first half of the season, Ethan Ennis earned his first taste of senior football.
Ennis provided two assists on loan at Doncaster Rovers but was unable to find the back of the net himself.
He was used mainly as a substitute, starting only four of his 17 appearances, playing a total of 399 minutes of league football.
Doncaster won promotion, making this a great experience for Ennis to be a part of, but it also made it a little tougher for him to try and break into a winning team.
Verdict: **
Jadon Sancho (Chelsea)
Games played: 41
Goals: 5
Like with Tyrell Malacia, Jadon Sancho ended the season winning a trophy, scoring in Chelsea’s Europa Conference League Final win.
But this was not enough to earn him a permanent move, with Chelsea choosing to pay United £5 million instead of agree to his high wage demands. That it itself was a major humiliation for the player, putting a sour note on his loan spell, leaving his career without any direction.
Sancho’s Premier League performances were underwhelming. In 31 appearances he scored only three goals, with four assists provided.
Verdict: **
Jadon Sancho infographic Sofascore
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Joe Hugill (Wigan Athletic/Carlisle United)
Goals: 7
Games played: 35
Joe Hugill began as the number nine at League One promotion chasers Wigan Athletic, but he struggled to convince. He scored five in 18 games for Wigan.
This loan was cut short in January, and Hugill signed with League Two relegation battlers Carlisle, where he played under former United great Mark Hughes. He scored two goals in 17 games.
The young forward can take consolation from the fact he did score in both loan spells, he just was not as prolific as he would like. At this stage in his career he could do with moving to a new club permanently and finding some consistency.
Verdict: **
Ethan Williams (Cheltenham Town)
Games played: 17
Goals: 2
A very promising loan spell for Ethan Williams on loan at Cheltenham Town. The 19-year-old showed he can make an impact.
Williams contributed two goals and two assists, and there is likely to be strong interest in acquiring him on loan or even permanently this offseason.
Speaking in February, Cheltenham boss Michael Flynn said: “If he carries on the way he is, he’d probably make an impact in their first team at the minute,” referring to United’s struggles.
Verdict: ***
Dan Gore (Rotherham)
Games played: 3
Goals: 0
After an injury hit loan at Port Vale in 2024 that even caused him to miss pre-season, Dan Gore needed a little more luck this time around at Rotherham. It didn’t happen, with more injury problems.
Gore was restricted to only three appearances, although did manage to contribute one assist. His time to catch United’s eye might be running out.
Verdict: **
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images
Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa)
Games played: 17
Goals: 4
Marcus Rashford left Manchester United for the first time, landing a loan nobody expected, signing with Aston Villa.
It was not the rip-roaring success he hoped for. Rashford failed to score in his four Champions League appearances, and he started only four Premier League games, scoring twice.
Two of his four goals came in a FA Cup clash against Championship side Preston. His lofty dreams of a move to Barcelona feel ambitious.
Verdict: **
Sam Mather (Tranmere Rovers)
Games played: 2
Goals: 0
Sam Mather left United on deadline day mid-season to sign with Tranmere. But they barely got to know him.
Mather played just four minutes across two appearances, and was back playing for United’s under-21s during the final month of the academy season.
Verdict: *
Ethan Wheatley (Walsall)
Games played: 4
Goals: 0
After making his Manchester United first team debut in May 2024, Ethan Wheatley wanted a season of progress. 2024/25 was not quite as he wanted.
Wheatley went out on loan in January to Walsall in League One. But he failed to make an impact, playing only four times and unable to make a difference.
With United lacking punch up front and Chido Obi not registered for the Europa League, Wheatley could have been, if he was retained. He was back at Manchester United in early May playing for the under-21s.
Verdict: *
Photo by Alexandra Fechete/MB Media/Getty Images
Photo by Alexandra Fechete/MB Media/Getty Images
Antony (Real Betis)
Games played: 26
Goals: 9
A loan success story, Antony played with a new lease of life at Real Betis. He has looked happier, and better suited to La Liga football than the Premier League.
Frustration against Chelsea in the Europa Conference League final was a reminder that this was still the same player, but just one who is more at home in La Liga.
Antony’s nine goals at Betis was a figure higher than in any of his seasons at United, while he also added a further two assists. He earned rave reviews from the Spanish media.
In a letter to Betis fans, he wrote: “From the first step into this club, I felt something different. It was like coming home, like finding a piece of myself that I thought I had lost.
“With you, I started to smile again. Thank you for welcoming me as one of your own. Thank you for giving me back the joy of playing football. And thank you for reminding me why I fell in love with the game.”
The Brazilian’s performances have given United a fighting chance of getting a £30 million plus fee for his signature this summer, and it could yet go higher. He has been linked to both Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich.
Verdict: *****