Yes, evidenced by all the academy players that have broken into their first team set up over the last decade. Oh wait……
Even “academy” players like Lavia were bought in. He spent one year at city. They have great facilities but United’s record in producing players that go on to have professional careers, in second to none in England. And if it weren’t for external circumstances, right now we’d have the two hottest youth prospects in the country - Greenwood and Garnacho - in our attacking ranks. What other top team can say this? None.
Our record selling youth players isn’t great, because we hold on to them too long. But this is only because we actually develop them with the intention of integrating them into the first team squad. That often doesn’t work out and then their value plummets. City sell them before they even get that chance and their value is still high. It’s a business model, not an actual pathway to the first team.
I will always prefer the United way. Our tradition is built on that. And long May we prioritise that over getting 15m for a prospect that we are never going to give a chance. The only thing I would have is do a little differently, is sell a few of these players a little earlier but with buy back clauses. But never at the expense of offering a viable pathway to first team football.
