Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images
Manchester United have secured pro deals with three youngsters amid JJ Gabriel’s refusal to sign one, and Fred Heath is one of the intriguing prospects.
All the rage is about how JJ Gabriel wants to leave Man Utd, but there are plenty of exciting young players who see their future at Old Trafford.
Signing a pro deal is the first step towards a full-time transition, even if the journey after is also long.
That first step has been taken by Dante Plunkett, Will Murdock, and Fred Heath, and the latter is an extremely intriguing prospect.
Who is Fred Heath?
Fred Heath is an 18-year-old youngster at Carrington who plays the goalkeeping position. Standing at 6’7″, he is a towering presence who can be intimidating for opponents.
Heath has come through the ranks at Man Utd, and has been a part of the U18s setup for the last two years. He’s now also eligible for the U21s this season.
Heath has largely been the backup goalkeeper for academy sides, so this pro deal is more to give him a chance to turn his raw tools into tangible output.
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For that, he will have to usurp his fellow teammate, Will Murdock, who has also signed a new pro deal, and has been preferred over Heath at the U18s level.
Heath is called upon rarely for special occasions. For example, he was subbed on in the PL Cup final last year for a penalty shootout, but he failed to save any, leading to United losing to Crystal Palace U18s.
In terms of playing style, Heath is more of a traditional goalkeeper than a modern sweeper-keeper who plays with the ball at his feet, which perhaps explains why Adam Lawrence and Darren Fletcher kept him around as the academy backup.
Ironically, that skill set could make him an intriguing loan option for English sides in the lower divisions, so Man Utd perhaps see an opportunity to raise his value through loans then cash in on him.
Either way, it’s unlikely that Heath ever makes it as a Man Utd player, even in a Dermot Mee-esque role, but his physical tools and education at Carrington will stand him in good stead for a professional football career.