Disclaimer. Just guessing here.
The trick is to identify long term potential & create a pathway within the club for that particular individual. That's the gold dust. Slightly different context. But that's what Everton were able to do with Dominic. One of the Carrier Bag Firm scouts for United. I've had him up against the wall & interrogated him on identifying potential. I'm basically none the wiser. Look, there's been a lot of turmoil. Up, quickly, from L1. Short stay. Covid. Nick Cox, Travis Binnion, John Dungworth, Mick Wadsworth, Andrew Hughes, Heckingbottom (temporarily), Wilder, all gone. So, it's difficult to guage our strategy any more. Historically, it's been seen to be - a young U23 side, establish at U23, loan to non league, loan to EFL, with particular attention to where he'll get game time. Rhys, Regan & Tyler are a long way down that path. (Before injury) Jean Belehouan & Harry Boyes are on that path. Even David Brooks was on that path before he shook it all up at Toulon. My view is that United have tended to be conservative about creating internal pathways. And have tended to prefer the loans through the pyramid. Of course, that'll partly be because our real potential kids (Dominic & Aaron) were pinched to PL clubs before we could pathway them. That's a long winded way of saying - I don't know. But, I think there's a simplicity to it. Obvious, can't ignore it, potential - try to pathway him internally. Good, keep going, needs to learn, potential - pyramid loans.
If we ever get settled, the candidates for non league loans would be Brunt, Gordon, Gomis, Neal, maybe Maguire. Hackford & Jebbison & Ayari & Cappello are still young. Personally, I feel they'd benefit from Shirecliffe & U23 football for a bit. It hasn't worked out in Belgium for Broadbent. He sort of needs to start again in the pyramid.
My view is that Dewhurst, Boyes & Ndiaye are the ones at the moment who need special attention. A contact told me in the January window Boyes was headed to L2. But, that didn't work out. I'd like to see him go to quality non league or L2. I really like him. I'd like to see a goalkeeper cull. With a clear pathway for Marcus. If we are able to keep Aaron, maybe Foderingham, Moore, Eastwood go. Verrips on the bench. Marcus clearly next in line. Playing U23 every week. And with the first team for League Cup, etc. Amissah out on non league loan.
Currently, if we are to have an internal pathway, I'd have it for Ndiaye as a potential future 10. What does that mean? It doesn't mean promoting him when he's not ready, it doesn't mean sticking him in for the sake of it. It means let him see the path, and don't buy journeymen squad players in his position to block him off. I always harp on about Dominic. He was around the first team, we bought Steven Davies, blocked him off, he dropped all the way back to the 18s, hello Everton.
(Sorry for length)
