Wheato
Full Member
We need to look at how effective sending players on loan is, it doesn’t appear to be any more effective than keeping them in the U23s, where they’d have the added benefit of being around the club and being available if the first team needs them.
Out of Lingard, McTominay, Rashford and Pereira, 2 never went on loan, Lingard had 4 loans at Championship level and wasn’t ready for our squad until he was 23, and Pereira’s loans don’t seem to have helped him at all.
I’m thinking if a player isn’t suitable for the first team by 20, they aren’t likely to be and they should be sold with either a buy-back, or sent on a long-term 2 year loan.
More a case of sending them to clubs where they will get a game, and pulling them when they don't. Look at Tuanzebe at Villa. He has become their best defender. He will be in our first team squad next season. McTominay for me should be going out to the likes of West Brom, Middlesborough to see if he can find his best role and gain some experience and build his confidence. No point sending them to PL clubs where they are below the level of their current starting 11.