One Manchester United Academy star’s future has been labelled “one to watch” as Rúben Amorim’s club initiate a plan to hand him a senior debut next season.
Manchester United currently have a strong group of young academy players who are getting close to the point of playing first-team football. However, with limited places available in the squad, some of the Carrington prospects will either have to depart permanently or on loan.
This is a problem that Ruben Amorim will welcome, however, as at Sporting CP, he provided 27 players with debuts and at United he’s given opportunities for Chido Obi, Ayden Heaven and most recently Harry Amass.
Amorim has already shown that he is willing to allow youth players to go out on loan to gain experience when there isn’t a clear path into the first team. During the January transfer window, Amorim allowed Daniel Gore and Ethan Wheatley to go on short-term loans to Rotherham and Walsall, respectively.
This summer is set to see several more academy prospects leave, with one in particular attracting a large amount of International interest.
Dortmund in for Fitzgerald
Sam Cohen with the United Stand has reported that Borussia Dortmund are interested in taking Jayce Fitzgerald on loan next season. In addition to Dortmund, many Dutch clubs are also interested.
Fitzgerald is yet to make a senior appearance under Amorim. Still, the head coach letting the 17-year-old leave on loan this summer would allow him to secure his first taste of first-team football, which would be fantastic for his development.
Fitzgerald has made 18 appearances for United’s youth sides this season and has been on the first team bench on three occasions. In previous seasons, the 17-year-old has won the Under-18 League and Premier League Cup.
The central midfielder has registered two assists in his appearances this season and has caught the eye of the United manager and foreign clubs’ scouts alike.
Fitzgerald’s path to the first team is currently blocked as there are a number of players available in his position, including recent graduates of the United squad, Kobbie Mainoo and Toby Collyer.
Dortmund’s plan for Fitzgerald
Borussia Dortmund have become known in recent years as a club that develops young players. In the last ten years, Dortmund has brought in four English players: Jude Bellingham, Carney Chukwuemenka, Jamie Gittens, and United winger Jadon Sancho.
These players all experienced success at Dortmund and varying degrees of success once they departed for other teams. The exception is Sancho, whose career after joining United has been turbulent, but that has been more of an individual issue separate from his time at Dortmund.
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What is unique about Dortmund’s current interest in Fitzgerald is that it is a very different deal from what they would typically engage in. In the last ten years, Dortmund have not brought in a player under 20 on loan, and Fitzgerald is only 17.
Most of Dortmund’s loans have been temporary fixes for positions that they need to cover or they have an option/obligation to buy at the end of the season.
Based on this it feels that if Dortmund do come in with an offer they, will be looking to add some way to make it permanent as buying young players and selling them on for a profit is a key aspect of their business model.
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