Former Manchester United striker Josh Harrop has revealed that one forgotten Manchester United player was the best player he’s ever played with.
Manchester United’s Academy has produced players who are currently playing all over the world.
Whether it be those currently in Rúben Amorim’s first-team such as Alejandro Garnacho or others across England and Europe, United’s Academy is one of the best in world football.
While many high-level talents have started at United and either thrived at Old Trafford or elsewhere, there are plenty of those who never quite got to grips with life at the club after their debuts.
A number of players who were handed debuts by Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjær have since left United for pastures new, with varying levels of success.
Harrop names the best United player he played with
Josh Harrop is a name that will go down in Man United folklore. Although he only made one appearance for the club, coming as a Premier League start against Crystal Palace, he opened the scoring in a 2-0 win during a tie where United played several Academy graduates.
Harrop, now 29 and without a club, is still often asked about his time at United, with the player recently appearing on a podcast with Sky Sports where he was asked who the best player he ever played with was.
While at United, Harrop was regularly training with the likes of Wayne Rooney, Paul Pogba, and Zlatan Ibrahimović, but when answering the question, he named forgotten United starlet Adnan Januzaj as the best player he’s ever played with.
“A lot of people ask me this, and I’ve played with,” Harrop started in response to the question. “Obviously, a lot of big names, but one who I always say to this day was Adnan Januzaj.
“Maybe because I’ve played with him more through the reserves, and then I’ve seen him when he broke into the first team, but the things that guy could do with the ball was just different. He was just a different talent, and I think his whole aura at that age, he was like 18, 19.
“He walked into that first team like he was the man, and he had the ability to back it up as well. I remember training, going up to the first team, I was a bit nervous, and I’m seeing him just, just ripping it. Adnan Januzaj was, I say, is the best player I’ve played with.”
Where is Januzaj now?
The Belgian prodigy was initially tipped to become a future star at Old Trafford and was handed the club’s No. 11 shirt, which had only just been vacated by the recently retired Ryan Giggs.
However, after 63 appearances, five goals, and five assists for United amid several loan moves, Januzaj departed for Real Sociedad in 2017 for a fee of around £5 million.
After five years, he left Sociedad for Sevilla on a free transfer in 2022 and now plays for Spanish side UD Las Palmas on loan.
The Belgian’s career never reached the heights many predicted, and he only made 15 appearances for his national side. He has not played for Belgium since March 2023, when he played 53 minutes against Burkina Faso.
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