Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo should heed warning of five stars
Alejandro Garnacho has the potential to do some amazing things – Erik ten Hag
Manchester United starlets Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have joined an exclusive list of Red Devils talents to win the Jimmy Murphy award. Handed to the club’s best academy star in each campaign, Garnacho and Mainoo have joined the likes of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes in picking up the prize.
However, there are other stars whose careers since being awarded with the Jimmy Murphy trophy might serve as a reminder that Garnacho and Mainoo still have work to do before they can feel comfortable in the United first team. Express Sport looks at five winners who Garnacho and Mainoo might be wary of.
Tahith Chong
Dutch winger Chong won the award in 2017 and was tipped for big things at Old Trafford. He made just his third appearance for the club as a substitute in the crucial Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain in March 2019.
But like many in this list, Chong never made a name for himself at United and will serve as a reminder to Garnacho and Mainoo that being handed the Jimmy Murphy trophy does not naturally equate to following in the footsteps of Giggs, Scholes, Norman Whiteside and Mark Hughes.
Chong spent three seasons out on loan before joining Birmingham on a permanent deal in the summer of 2022. He was signed by newly promoted Luton at the start of this season.
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Bojan Djordjic
Swedish winger Djordjic had caught the eye playing as a 15-year-old for Swedish talent factory Brommapojkarna. He excelled in United’s academy, winning the Jimmy Murphy trophy in 2000.
But Djordjic’s form in the youth teams never translated into senior football, although his progress might have been stunted by the presence of Ryan Giggs and David Beckham. He played just twice for Sir Alex Ferguson before leaving for Rangers. He ended a nomadic career in 2015 having played for 15 clubs.
Federico Macheda
Another player with huge expectations from a young age was striker Macheda. The Italian scored in his first two senior appearances for United, including a stunning debut winner against Aston Villa.
However, the exciting prospect scored just three more times for the club in a total of 36 appearances. Macheda’s career appeared to dip into the wilderness during a series of loans, prompting him to depart Old Trafford in a free transfer in 2014.
Still only 32, Macheda’s most successful spell came with Panathinaikos, for whom he scored 40 goals in 116 appearances. He now plays for Ankaragucu in Turkey’s top-flight.
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James Wilson
Like Macheda, forward Wilson enjoyed a goalscoring debut at Old Trafford. He struck twice in a 3-1 victory over Hull in 2014, incidentally during the caretaker reign of former Jimmy Murphy award winner Ryan Giggs.
However, Wilson failed to continue that form despite featuring prominently under Louis van Gaal the following season. He scored just twice in 17 appearances the following campaign.
Now 28, Wilson has bagged twice in 14 appearances for League One Port Vale this season. His failure to kick on at United will serve as a warning to the current young stars of the United senior team.
Angel Gomes
It might be harsh to include Gomes in this list given the midfielder has forged a relatively successful career in France. But there were extremely high hopes for the England youth international, with the hype similar to that around Mainoo and Garnacho.
Gomes remains the second-youngest player to play for the club. Aged 16, the diminutive playmaker replaced club legend Wayne Rooney on the final day of the 2016-17 season, with Jose Mourinho keen to integrate the youngster.
But Gomes’ United career never took off, making only nine more appearances. He departed for Lille in the summer of 2020.
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