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The former Man Utd youngster has reflected on his time at the club under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
If you are going to make it as Manchester United player, you need luck as much as you need talent. There have been numerous extremely talented players who never had the chance to earn a first-team role, and others who were promoted to the Old Trafford spotlight amid an injury crisis and never looked back.
Luca Ercolani knows all about that. He spent five years in United's youth academy but never quite managed to make a competitive debut for the club. After several years in the Italian lower levels, Ercolani was spotted by United scout David Williams and offered the chance to move to Manchester.
He featured for the club at U18, U19, U21 and U23 level, played in the EFL Trophy and UEFA Youth League, and also took part in training sessions under both Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He clearly had the talent, he just didn't have the luck.
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Ercolani reflects on United spell
Luca Ercolani was one of several players whose development was stunted by a combination of injury and ill-timing. He was getting closer to a potential senior role when he became ravaged by injury and due to the Covid pandemic in 2020, his rehabilitation took a lot longer than usual.
By the time he returned to fitness, United informed him they would not renew his contract. The Italian teenager saw it as the ideal opportunity to move back to his homeland, where he signed for Serie C side Carpi.
“I signed a three-year contract with a two-year extension,” he told Corriere Romagna. “Mourinho saw me as a good fit, but unfortunately, I suffered two injuries. In the third year, I broke a metatarsal in my foot, which kept me out for three months.
“The following year, after the first four games, I underwent surgery in London due to a torn cruciate ligament in my knee. It was the Covid period, and my absence was prolonged. When I returned, the club made it clear they wouldn’t renew my contract, so I jumped at the first opportunity, returning to Italy to play for Carpi, who had just been relegated from Serie B.”
Ercolani also completed his UEFA B coaching licence during his time at United and views those years in Manchester as a crucial part in his development as both a player and a person. He has played for six different Italian teams since he was released by United and is grateful for the opportunity they gave him at such a young age.
He added: “The English experience was a learning experience, and not just on a footballing level. I was part of a club with incredible facilities and an extraordinary footballing culture. I remember being part of the academy, and we trained with double sessions every day. I was fortunate to have an experience of this calibre.”
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