Manchester United feel Shea Lacey is ready to break into first-team action in the closing months of the season at Old Trafford.
Manchester United believe academy product Shea Lacey is ready to move up and gain first-team minutes in the closing stages of the 2023/24 season, as writer Ben Jacobs evaluates how the winger may improve at Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have had a turbulent season under head coach Erik ten Hag, and they are now poised to lose out on Champions League qualifying for next season after underperforming in the Premier League.
Manchester United recently underwent a minority acquisition by INEOS, with chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe overseeing football operations at the Theatre of Dreams. Lacey has had a difficult youth season due to injuries, but he is eager to get into the first team.
Lacey pledges future to Manchester United
Manchester United stated in April that Shea Lacey has committed his future to the club by signing a professional contract at Old Trafford. The 17-year-old has succeeded in the Red Devils’ youth teams and is currently working with Erik ten Hag’s first-team group.
United is currently in seventh place in the Premier League table, having fallen behind Newcastle United. Their chances of qualifying for the 2024/25 Champions League are slim, which may encourage ten Hag to use some of the club’s young talent in the remaining games of the season.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Lacey has five appearances for England U17, scoring three goals.
The Athletic claims Lacey is considered as one of the best prospects in Manchester United’s academy, and writer Alex Turk describes him as “very special”. The youngster has returned to play for the 20-time English champions’ U18 squad and is eager for first-team opportunity under ten Hag.
Ben Jacobs – Lacey has’several top skills
According to Jacobs, Manchester United think Lacey has “several top talents” who are ready to go up and be used in the first team squad. The writer argues that it is usual for high-potential first-team players to mix with the senior group after successful seasons. Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT,
“Shea Lacey has some excellent talents that Manchester United believe are ready to take the next step, at least in terms of first-team training. And it’s customary at this point in the season to offer youngsters who have had a successful season at the youth level inside the club infrastructure minutes with the main team. That is how you progress, by rubbing shoulders and eventually training with the first team.
The only way to know whether a player of that age is ready as a starting point is to train them with the first team and then throw them in at the deep end. When deciding whether or not to include young players in the squad, it is necessary to provide them a training session with the first-team group. That is exactly what is occurring right now.
Erik ten Hag ‘increasingly likely’ to depart Manchester United
Lacey and others will be interested in learning more about Red Devils manager Erik ten Hag’s future. The Dutchman has been under growing criticism after a poor 2023/24 season, with the FA Cup still their sole chance of earning a trophy this season.
According to Charlie Wyett of The Sun, Ten Hag’s chances of leaving Manchester United this summer are growing. The 54-year-old’s departure might provide a new start for some of the club’s top earners, including Jadon Sancho, who has been loaned out to Borussia Dortmund for the rest of the season.
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