Michael Carrick is bringing Man Utd’s ethos back to the club, and a 17-year-old wonderkid yet to debut for the club could be the latest beneficiary.
Just restoring Kobbie Mainoo into the first XI has seen Michael Carrick gain a lot of support, and his experience as a player at the club means Man Utd fans rest easy knowing that he “gets it”.
The same has been reflected in his actions away from the pitch, as he has regularly attended the academy’s games, despite the senior team’s schedule leaving no opportunity to rotate.
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Carrick recently called up five youngsters to first-team training ahead of the clash against Spurs, but only one got a special training privilege, as per the club.
Liverpool U18 v Manchester United U18: U18 Premier League
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Michael Carrick awards special privilege to Yuel Helafu
You have to be an extremely special talent to be included in the first-team training group at Man Utd alongside JJ Gabriel, and yet, earn special privilege.
Carrick’s recent training session saw the Fletcher twins, JJ Gabriel, Yuel Helafu, and Jack Moorhouse added to the group.
Moorhouse’s is a sleeper pick for a debut, Gabriel’s potential is well-documented by now, Jack Fletcher has already debuted, while Tyler Fletcher has been on the bench.
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However, as per Man Utd’s official website, it was 17-year-old Yuel Helafu who separated himself from this group of five when it came to getting down to serious stuff.
The website writes that all five trained with the team, but four of them were moved into a “separate part of the session, apart from Helafu, who remained with the main group”.
Now, it could just be a matter of needing more full-backs in the ranks, but considering he’s a right back by trade and both Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are fit, it looks like a huge seal of endorsement of his talents by Carrick.
Yuel Helafu has had a meteoric rise at Man Utd
Less than six months ago, Helafu was playing against Man Utd in a developmental game for his grassroots side, having completely gone under the radar of elite clubs’ scouting.
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Since joining United in July 2025, he has not only cemented himself as a force to be reckoned with in academy football but also carved a place for himself in the psyche of the senior team.
He has trained with the senior team on a number of occasions, and his playing style, which resembles Mazraoui’s, has a high ceiling.
At just 17, the growth he has shown in his game despite not playing professional football until six months ago speaks volumes about his potential.
Now that it looks like he’s caught Carrick’s eye, he will hope to make a charge for a first-team place next season by earning a seat on the pre-season tour next season.
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