United "open" to letting academy goal-machine leave in January with multiple Championship clubs in the race - report

01/01/2025 03:30 PM

Ruben Amorim is having a hard time as Manchester United’s head coach with the team losing six games since his arrival while languishing in 14th place.

The Red Devils are struggling to score with Rasmus Hojlund struggling and Joshua Zirkzee’s future up in the air while Marcus Rashford has already declared his intention to leave his boyhood club.

The Portuguese head coach wants a goalscorer and a versatile midfielder as well with both Christian Eriksen and Casemiro deemed not good enough with the club open to the prospect of the duo leaving this month.

Academy sensation James Scanlon has been impressing one and all with his exploits, netting 12 goals in 13 appearances for the U18s and for the U19s while also registering five assists.

Scanlon on fire

He has been on fire in front of goal, netting a hat-trick against arch-rivals Leeds while he scored four times against Blackburn in the U18 league.

The 18-year-old is already a full Gibraltar international and he can play out wide as well as in midfield with his versatility a huge asset to have. Despite all this, it has been a surprise to see the lack of involvement in senior training for the Gibraltarian,

Amorim is under a lot of pressure and hence, not too many academy debuts are expected between now and the end of the season and therefore, United are open to the possibility of loaning Scanlon out in January.

As per The Daily Mail, multiple Championship clubs are queueing up for the United academy wonderkid’s signature but a temporary move away will only be greenlit if the club can guarantee gametime to ensure he keeps developing.

“With the January transfer window opening on Wednesday, conversations are intensifying about incomings and outgoings at United. Cash-strapped amid major budget cuts, little is expected on the incoming front but there are a number of their academy products that are attracting lots of loan interest.

“Harry Amass, as previously revealed by Confidential, is one of them and so is 18-year-old James Scanlon. The Gibraltar international has thrived the past few seasons for the club's U18s side and it's understood that a handful of clubs in the Championship are weighing up a loan move in this winter window.

Loan interest

“Scanlon's international pedigree, as well as his ability to play centrally or out wide, makes him an attractive prospect to clubs eager to give their attack a shot in the arm for the second half of the 2024-25 campaign.

“It is understood that both United and the player's side are open to a move provided it's a natural fit for Scanlon and he can get the game-time needed to develop further.”

Scanlon has also played 10 times for the reserves and it is clear that he has outgrown the U18 level and needs serious competition to develop further.

He was part of United’s pre-season squad under Erik ten Hag but has never been called up to a matchday squad. A loan move could be just the sort of exposure needed for him to catch Amorim’s eye.

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