There are five Manchester United Academy stars that look primed to be handed their debuts by Rúben Amorim before the end of 2025.
Manchester United’s Academy has been a rare source of excitement during a tough spell for the club over the past 18 months.
Erik ten Hag managed to end last season on a high with an FA Cup win, but he was sacked in October, and Rúben Amorim has struggled to steady the ship since taking over.
In stark contrast, the youth setup is thriving. The U18s have been particularly impressive, recently securing a memorable 3-2 win over Arsenal at the Emirates in the FA Youth Cup and are set to play against Aston Villa in the semi-finals next week.
United have also strengthened their Academy with exciting additions like Chido Obi and Sekou Kone, while players such as Gabriele Biancheri and Jaydan Kamason are beginning to stand out after rising through the ranks.
Below, we list five of the brightest Academy stars that Rúben Amorim is looking to hand debuts to before the end of the year.
#1 – Sekou Kone
Kone was signed from Mali club Guidars FC last year, with United forking out a fee of around £1 million for the talented midfielder. He was then entered into the club’s youth system and has played regularly for the U21s side, although he is yet to make his debut.
Reports from earlier this year suggested that Amorim trusts the player and will be looking to hand him his first minutes in the first team soon. With a packed schedule ahead, there may be a chance this comes before the close of the campaign.
Kone made headlines on Friday afternoon after scoring a fantastic half-volley against Leeds United for the U21s before winning a penalty that levelled the score at 2-2. He was handed a great chance to win the game but could not convert.
#2 – Bendito Mantato
Bendito Mantato was a name that popped up early within Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford as a possible “really dangerous” future wing-back, although an injury halted his progress.
However, reports from earlier this week revealed that the 17-year-old is now set to sign his first professional contract with the club, a four-year deal that runs until 2029. Amorim is actively looking to hand the young star his first professional minutes before the season ends.
Mantato has been compared to Sporting CP’s Geovany Quenda, with Amorim touted to use the player in a similar style as he did at the beginning of the season at the Portuguese side.
#3 – Jack Fletcher
Son of former United midfielder and current liaison between the club’s Academy and first-team, Darren Fletcher, Jack Fletcher is said to be a player that Amorim highly appreciates.
Fletcher made headlines after he blew fans away with a stunning performance against Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup, and looks set to graduate to the first-team in the coming months.
He has already been involved in first-team training on a number of occasions and has been namedropped by Amorim previously. If he continues to shine heading into pre-season, it’s more than feasible that he could get minutes while on tour in the summer before an official debut before the end of 2025.
#4 – Jack Moorehouse
Much like Fletcher, Jack Moorehouse has been making waves within the club’s youth set-up, dazzling fans with his ball-carrying abilities against Leeds United with the U21s on Friday afternoon.
Moorehouse has been touted as a possible option for the right No. 10 position within Amorim’s set-up in the future, with links drawn between him and Southampton’s Tyler Dibling.
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While Moorehouse is unlikely to get a debut before the end of the campaign, he is another who is likely to head on the club’s pre-season tour and be in line for his first professional minutes before the end of 2025.
#5 – Gabriele Biancheri
Gabriele Biancheri is becoming an Academy talent that is becoming impossible to ignore at Carrington. While the Welsh striker is yet to be involved in first-team training, his track record within the Academy system and youth international fixtures is exceptional.
United turned down a bid for the player from Serie A side Como in the January transfer window, signalling the faith they hold in the 18-year-old, who has performed well despite being in the media shadow of Obi this campaign.
He has netted 17 goals in 25 appearances for the club Academy this campaign so far and eight in his last ten appearances for Wales’ U19s, and it feels as if a first-team inclusion and possible debut will come later this year.
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