5 youth prospects Manchester United gave up on too early

Manchester United’s academy is one of football’s greatest talent factories but not every gem gets polished at Old Trafford.

While the Red Devils have been criticized for their recruitment over the last decade, they are also at fault for giving up too early on some stars.

As a result, prospects slip away too soon, only to flourish elsewhere and leave fans wondering what might have been.

Here are five youth stars that Manchester United gave up on, way too early.

5 – Angel Gomes:

Once United’s youngest Premier League debutant since Duncan Edwards, Angel Gomes was tipped to be the next great No. 10. But a lack of first-team minutes and stalled contract talks pushed him out the door in 2020.

At Lille, he became a versatile playmaker, comfortable as a deep-lying midfielder or No. 8, showcasing the vision and technique many believed would eventually blossom at Old Trafford.

In summer of 2024, Gomes was awarded for his great form, receiving his first call up for England. That helped him move to Marseille, where he’s established himself as a starter for Roberto de Zerbi’s talented side.

4 – Wilfried Zaha:

Sir Alex Ferguson’s final signing barely had a chance. Loaned out repeatedly, marginalized under David Moyes and Van Gaal, and stuck in a chaotic era, Zaha’s United career ended before it ever began.

Strictly speaking, Zaha was not quite a “youth product” but he was definitely a young superstar. He would eventually seal a move back to Crystal Palace and showcase his immense talent as one of the best attackers in the Premier League.

He did this in an era when United struggled to make an impact in the division. But unfortunately, United had a future star on their hands but couldn’t see it through the instability.

3 – Alvaro Carreras:

The latest mistake made by Manchester United was letting Alvaro Carreras go.

Extremely impressive in their youth system, Carreras won the U23 Player of the Year at Manchester United, only to depart the club in 2024 without making a senior debut.

United pocketed just under £6 million for the talented fullback, who joined Benfica on a permanent deal. However, only a year later, the Portuguese club sold Carreras to Real Madrid for just under £50 million!

Forget the obvious loss in terms of millions, United’s struggles at recruiting a reliable left-back are well-documented. All while having a potential superstar on their books who is now a consistent starter for the biggest club in the world: Real Madrid.

2 – Gerard Pique:

Carreras was not the first time Manchester United gave up on a star who immediately improved a Spanish giant.

The first time was with Gerard Pique, when the Old Trafford club let him go for only £5 million to FC Barcelona. And, the rest as they say, is history.

Within a year, he was part of Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning machine. Multiple Champions Leagues, a World Cup, Euros, and over a decade as a defensive pillar at Barcelona. United had him in the building and didn’t realize it.

1 – Paul Pogba:

Yet, Pique is not Manchester United’s biggest mistake in terms of giving up “too early”.

That is reserved for the one and only, Paul Pogba. Before the drama, before the headlines, Pogba was a teenager begging for minutes behind an aging midfield. Only for United let him walk for less than £1m in 2012.

Four years later, they paid a world-record fee to bring him back, as per QZ.

No matter how you judge his second spell, the fact remains: the club allowed a generational talent to leave because they wouldn’t trust him over Rafael and Park Ji-sung in midfield cameos.

A monumental oversight.