Former Manchester United midfielder Luke Chadwick has spoken out on the huge potential of exciting Red Devils wonderkid Shola Shoretire.
The 17-year-old made his Premier League debut against Newcastle at the weekend and is the latest homegrown youngster being tipped for a big career after coming through Man Utd’s academy.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side currently has the likes of Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Scott McTominay in the first-team squad after coming up through the academy, and Shoretire could be the latest to make an impact at senior level before too long.
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Chadwick says he’s seen a bit of Shoretire at youth level and believes the hype around him is justified.
Speaking to CaughtOffside, he said: “It just sums up the academy of Manchester United and the football club in general. That’s the way they want to go, they want academy players coming through and in the squad.
“He (Shoretire) is a hugely talented player. I watched him play in an the youth team as an Under-16 player, he was so clever – fantastic awareness, knows how to play on the half turn, can see a pass as well. He’s so sharp in his mind and even if he doesn’t start a lot of matches yet, he can come on in games and make an impact.
“To get into the Manchester United first-team squad at 17 years old, there’s obviously huge potential there and he’s a player I’m sure the fans will forward to seeing more of in the future.”
Chadwick himself came up through United’s academy before representing their first-team during the Sir Alex Ferguson era, so is well-placed to explain how the club keeps producing so many top players.
Legends such as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and David Beckham rose through the ranks at MUFC and ended up winning plenty of major trophies in the senior side, and Chadwick feels there seems to be another exciting generation coming through now.
“The youth system throughout the years has been hugely fruitful for the club,” he told CaughtOffside. “In my experience when I was there, the whole environment of the place, you realise you’re involved in a special, special organisation where you’re made to feel so welcome, and to understand the culture of the club and what’s expected from a young player coming through.
“I think what’s massive at United for the players coming through now like Rashford and Greenwood is seeing what players in the past have achieved coming through the youth team. Obviously you have the famous Class of ’92 that came through and it was the start of a hugely successful period. You see the role models who came before you and made it into the first-team and had incredible careers at the club.
“It’s massive having someone like Nicky Butt there and knowing what it is to play for Man United and instilling those values into the young players coming through. You see what Rashford’s done on and off the pitch, that’s the type of person that Manchester United try to produce, just as much as the footballer.
“You see the players coming through now and it feels like a never-ending conveyer belt almost; there are stars of the future like Rashford, Greenwood, Brandon Williams, it seems like there’s never a point without top young players coming through.”