The Man Utd youngsters who could impress Erik ten Hag in pre-season

Manchester United have a busy pre-season schedule ahead, playing as many as eight games in the space of three and a half weeks in four different countries spread over two continents.

This time of year always means chances for young or emerging players to train with the first-team and potentially get on the pitch. But the sheer number of games on the immediate horizon is sure to mean even more opportunity for those looking to catch Erik ten Hag's eye.

Developing young players has always been an important part of the 'United way', stretching back to the creation of the Manchester United Junior Athletic Club in the 1930s — the club's remarkable ongoing record of naming at least one home-grown player in every matchday squad began in 1937.

There are no guarantees that impressing in pre-season will translate to regular first-team chances when the Premier League and Champions League campaigns kick off. But Ten Hag is noted for his player development skills and has already shown faith in 18-year-old Alejandro Garnacho, proof of the fact that anybody is old enough as long as they are good enough.

Kobbie Mainoo has already made three senior appearances in a United shirt in 2023, including a Premier League game against Leicester, and is the player most tipped to be on the heels of FA Youth Cup-winning teammate Alejandro Garnacho into the first-team.

The midfielder only relatively recently turned 18 but has already been with United since the age of nine and is the current Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year.

With David de Gea and Jack Butland gone from last season's goalkeeping unit and Dean Henderson also set to follow, United will likely need more than just Andre Onana adding to the first-team squad this summer.

Budgetary limitations