Manchester United have dedicated significant time and resources into making 20-year-old Ashley Fletcher a future striker for the team. After a successful loan spell to Barnsley, Fletcher could get more opportunities to grow – but this time in a more challenging environment.
According to the Express, Barnsley chairman Maurice Watkins is hopeful that Fletcher will return to his club’s side on another loan spell next season as they try to make headway in the Championship division.
“It would be fantastic to have Ashley with us in the Championship, but we will have to open up our discussions and see where we get to,” Watkins said recently.
Watkins, who used to work at Manchester United, also pledged to tap some of his connections at Old Trafford to make the reunion a reality.
“I do know the people at United from my previous associations there – and that could help, you never know!”
“Ashley has done very well since he has been with us. He has played well but also enjoyed his football.
“He is deceptively fast and knows where the goal is, and his goal at Wembley was a great one when you looked at it closely.”
Fletcher scored six goals in 23 League One appearances for Barnsley, including the opening goal in Barnsley’s 3-1 win over Millwall in the League One play-off Final at Wembley. His scoring acumen helped the club earn promotion to the Championship division for the first time in several years.
The 20-year-old striker hoped he did enough in the game to warrant a look from new Man United manager Jose Mourinho.
“I hope if Jose was watching the play-off final it might have given him something to smile about,” Fletcher said this past week.
“I’d like to think that some of us youngsters might do a job for him but Manchester United is a huge club and have to spend big money to compete for the Premier League title.”
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