Ruben Amorim could turn to talented young players from the academy when Man Utd lose players to AFCON next month.
Shea Lacey warms up for England U20s.(Image: 2025 The FA)
View 3 Images
Ruben Amorim mentioned Manchester United youngsters Shea Lacey and Jack Fletcher when he was asked how the team would cope with losing key players to the Africa Cup of Nations. Lacey and Fletcher took part in first-team training at Carrington on Friday morning, suggesting they have a chance of being named in the matchday squad when Everton visit Old Trafford.
Kobbie Mainoo was ruled out of facing Tottenham before the international break due to a knock, which opened the door for Fletcher to come into the first-team squad in London. Fletcher’s inclusion continued United's 88-year record of naming an academy graduate in every matchday squad.
Darren Fletcher's son has made progress since joining from Manchester City two years ago, and has acquitted himself well playing against senior opposition in the EFL Trophy and National League Cup. Lacey is pushing towards making a senior debut. The 18-year-old has always been one of the most highly regarded talents in his age group and has consistently performed in this campaign.
Amorim spoke to reporters at a press conference on Friday. Speaking about losing players to AFCON, he said: "I think it's going to be hard, but then that is the good thing of the experience, we lived so many limitations last year, because we changed in January, and we didn't bring the players.
"And then we had the injury of Amad for four months, all these things, so we are prepared for that, even it will be hard for us, but we have a different baggage to deal with that. And again, I think guys like Jack Fletcher, Shea, a lot of guys, they can step up, and we can send at the same time a message to everyone here, in the academy, that this is the future. But we are going to struggle and we have to be prepared for that."
Amorim added of Lacey's development: "I'm really happy with him. I think he struggled a little bit with injuries, they did a very good job balancing his body, you can sense that he can manage more load during training.
"He has a lot of talent, but when they come here, they can sense the speed is completely different, so they need to spend more time with us to be prepared, because our trainings are hard, at Premier League games, with the pressure it's harder, so they need to be ready."
Cunha and Lacey pictured in pre-season.(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
View 3 Images
Chido Obi made seven appearances in the Premier League last season, but the young striker has not been named in a senior squad so far this term. Obi has played for the Under-21s, developing away from the spotlight, and Amorim believes he was overexposed last term due to injuries.
"Yeah, of course, he played last year," Amorim said about whether Obi was someone who could step up. "I think it was too soon, we didn't have a team. That we can put a young kid with 16, that he will not struggle, or will struggle a little bit, was completely necessary to do that.
"The perfect conditions. We have the opportunity and we seek that opportunity for the kids, so he's one of the guys, but I think he started too soon. And sometimes it's hard to deal with that, with the kids, because they think that I'm already here. No, you are here for necessity and we need to be careful also with that."
Speaking about trusting young players, Amorim said: "First of all, I'm not preparing the academy, they are preparing the academy, we are paying more attention to them, we are talking with them.
"Just that is so important for us, to change information about the players, what they need, how they behave, even to call a kid for the first team, they need to behave really well, if you don't behave really well. This connection is really important, we are trying to do that, we are putting everything in place.
"Nutritionist for the academy starts now, in our club. That is something that should be basic, so all these things we are doing, and they are doing their job, so I have more times with them, with training.
"So I'm more confident with them, when we put these kids to play in Premier League, they will struggle, but will struggle less I think, so I think everyone in the academy, are doing a very good job in the moment."
Obi pictured in the United States in July.
View 3 Images
Speaking in September, U21 manager Travis Binnion provided an update on Obi's development, telling the Manchester Evening News: "It's not easy for him because people look at him like he's a big kid. The key thing there is he's still very young, he's still learning his game.
"Because he's had exposure with the first-team, I think people expect performance levels that are really consistent and really high. You've got first-team players across the country who don't do that.
"The expectation on him is high, but he has to deliver the basics, and what he did from minute 30 to 80 when he came off is he pressed, he ran and he occupied two centre halves to give other players space on the pitch to exploit, which is why we dominated the ball.
"They [City] will say they are not scared of him, but they defended two versus one against him all day. I'm pleased he got his goal because you can toil up there, not touch it, not do a lot, but he got his goal and set us on our way. I'm really pleased with him and we haven't even scraped the top of the iceberg with him. He's got loads to come.
"That will come from how he sees the game, keeps working hard and recognises he has stuff to develop because that's always a challenge when you have that first-team exposure and then you go away and have to start working on things."
Obi must continue to work hard to earn first-team involvement. "When you score as many goals as he has throughout his relatively short life, you can define yourself by goals," said Binnion.
"And we all know there's probably only two or three strikers in the world who get two goals in every three games. If you're used to scoring two goals in every game, then recognising what the role is, how you have to go around it takes a little bit of time. He is dying to be a footballer.
"He is hungry. And he's still learning the game, learning how to project himself and learning how to play within a team, the club's shape and system, so there's still lots for him to do.
"The key is he wants to play, he wants to do well and wants to train. He could train every day if he could."