Lacey
Over recent seasons, Manchester United have spent a small fortune in trying to mount a charge for Premier League glory - with the club now going 13 years without a title.
The hierarchy have invested over £800m into the first team squad since the summer of 2022 alone, with last season the highest the club have finished since 2022/23.
Michael Carrick masterminded the Red Devils to a third-place finish, but will no doubt want added funds spent this summer to improve key areas of his squad for next season.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick celebrates after the match
INEOS have already made two additions and invested over £85m on Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans, but Carrick could also hand opportunities to some youngsters to help bolster the squad in 2026/27.
Lacey has been one of United’s shining lights in pre-season
Every year, United’s pre-season tour hands academy prospects the platform to impress the manager and mount a charge for a regular starting role at Old Trafford.
Such a situation has been evident once again this summer, with attacker Shea Lacey handed an opportunity to impress by Carrick throughout the club’s first three games.
Shea Lacey
The 19-year-old, who made four senior appearances last term, has featured in every game of the summer tour - including two starts against Rosenborg and Atletico Madrid.
The attacker netted his first goal for the senior team against the Norwegian outfit, subsequently running onto a perfectly weighted through ball and firing excellently into the bottom corner.
Lacey was a constant threat during the 5-0 victory last week, as he completed the most dribbles of any Red Devils player, whilst making four passes into the final third.
As a result of his display, the teenager maintained his starting role against the Spanish side last weekend - carrying on his excellent form as he won the penalty for the club’s opener.
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Shea Lacey - stats against Atletico Madrid
Statistics
Minutes played
Touches
Pass accuracy
Passes completed
Passes into final third
Successful dribbles
Cross accuracy
Ball recoveries
The youngster mirrored his stats from his outing against Rosenborg, subsequently completing two successful dribble attempts and creating two chances in the process.
How Man Utd can land an elite Lacey upgrade for £60m
After his performances in pre-season to date, it would be a surprise to no one if Lacey was involved in United’s season opener against Hull City in just over two weeks time.
The teenager has showcased his talent against one of Europe’s biggest clubs already this summer, with a squad role potentially on the cards for the 2026/27 campaign.
S Lacey
However, his hopes could be dashed in the months ahead, especially if INEOS are able to get a deal over the line for Juventus forward Francisco Conceição.
It’s been reported by Tuttomercatoweb, via Sport Witness, that the Red Devils have been in conversation with the Italian outfit over a deal for the 23-year-old talent, with Joshua Zirkzee potentially set to head in the opposite direction.
The report states that agent Jorge Mendes is overseeing the deal between the two parties, which has seen a potential £60m price tag emerge for the Portuguese international.
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick reacts after the match
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick reacts after the match
Dropping the academy graduate for Conceicao may seem like a controversial decision given the youngster’s displays in pre-season, but the Juventus star’s stats showcase why he’s a class above the teenage Englishman.
The 23-year-old achieved an impressive tally of 88% passes completed in Italy’s top-flight last term - ranking him in the top 5% of all attackers in Europe’s top-five leagues.
Such numbers resulted in the youngster creating 1.8 chances per 90, with Bruno Fernandes the only player in Carrick’s squad to register more per 90 last campaign.
However, Conceicao’s biggest asset is undoubtedly his dribbling ability, which saw him register a phenomenal tally of 2.3 successful dribbles per 90 in Serie A.
The aforementioned tally, coupled with his 53% success rate, placed him above 80% of forwards in Europe - which will add a new dimension to the Red Devils next term.
francisco-conceicao-juventus
He ended the recent season on eight combined goals and assists in Serie A, but managed to do so from just 27 starts - with the player no doubt wanting a more senior role upon any move to Old Trafford.
£60m may seem like a hefty figure for the Portuguese star’s signature, but it could prove to be a bargain if he continues on his current trajectory upon any move.
He’s shown he’s capable of bettering a whole host of attackers across the continent, which could see Carrick’s men land an extremely pacy and direct wide option.
Such a call would be harsh on Lacey after his recent form in pre-season, but football is a cutthroat industry and one which can see things change within the blink of an eye.
Man-Utd-Paul-Scholes