Bruno Fernandes has lauded Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho as 'great' influences at Manchester United this season - but warned the club's older stars about over-reliance on them.
The two academy graduates have been among the team's best players in a wobbling season.
Ethan Wheatley became United's 250th academy graduate to make his debut for the club this week in their 4-2 win over Sheffield United at Old Trafford.
While Fernandes praised the club's historic academy, he also argued that senior players needed to 'step up' to relieve the pressure on their graduates.
'I think the team needs to step up in certain moments to also make them feel confident to have their bad moments, their bad games, or even to let them have less pressure on themselves to be the players that have to make the difference in certain moments,' he told Manchester United's website.
'At this club, you are used to having young players coming through the Academy and you're used to the club buying young players that they feel can have a future at the club. You just mentioned two of them,' he said, responding to a question about Mainoo and Garnacho.
'They've been playing most and they've been doing well. They've been doing great things.
'But, when the team is playing better, it's going to create an even better place for them to [continue their] development and to be a better player. To be in a better place, being more confident, having more trust and playing even better.
'Even if they're doing well, I think there is always space for improvement for everyone, but obviously when the team improves, everyone else improves individually.'
'I think they've been really good; they've been improving themselves. It's just the first steps. They need to keep going,
Read on m.allfootballapp.com