Manchester United’s plan for a successful summer transfer window involved selling players that manager Erik ten Hag deemed surplus to requirements and using the money to go after more of the manager’s targets.
However, the club has gotten so bad when it comes to offloading players for a sizeable fee that only a few first-team stars ended up leaving, forcing the club to sell plenty of academy products.
United ended up offloading academy graduates like Anthony Elanga, Matej Kovar, Dean Henderson, and Marc Jurado in the summer just to name a few.
Forson’s breakthrough season
However, this does not imply the manager does not trust the academy as he has already given the likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo their breakthroughs last season.
One player whom the manager seems to like, as evidenced from pre-season, is Omari Forson. The 19-year-old was extensively used during pre-season with the manager wanting a left-footed profile on the right wing.
The teen sensation can also play on the other wing and even as the attacking midfielder, with versatility a trait Ten Hag loves in his players.
The England U20 international has shone for the academy side, scoring seven goals in eight games across all competitions while also registering a couple of assists.
His red-hot form for the reserves has seen Ten Hag select him in the matchday squad for two Champions League games, the away games against Bayern Munich and Copenhagen.
The winger was attracting plenty of interest from Premier League sides as well as other European clubs with his United contract expiring next summer. There were even reports of a breakdown in negotiations between the parties.
Set to sign new contract
Now as per The Manchester Evening News, United are hopeful of agreeing a new deal with the youngster before the start of the new year so as to block the player from agreeing a pre-agreement with any other club.
“Manchester United youngster Omari Forson is set to sign a new contract at the club. Forson’s contract with United expires at the end of the season, but the Manchester Evening News understands he’s set to sign a new deal in recognition of his progression.
“Forson, who is yet to make his first-team debut, will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs in January, which means he’s set to sign his new contract at United before the New Year.”
The report also mentions that Forson is a regular during first-team training sessions and is highly regarded among the United coaching staff with the coaches feeling “he’ll be the next academy product to be handed his senior debut.”