Manchester United academy players are beginning to gear up for pre-season after enjoying a well-deserved break. They will report to Carrington in two weeks to get their season preparations under way. This week's edition of the Manchester Evening News' Academy Notebook includes updates on Shea Lacey, why Chido Obi would benefit from a loan, a talented young player being primed for a move to Arsenal and more.
Lacey Training Abroad
United have historically reported for pre-season in the first week of July, but the hard work starts weeks before for most players, who hire private coaches to put them through their paces before a return to Carrington. Lacey is a young player who is hoping to contribute a lot more to the first team next season. Lacey made four senior appearances last term, including a cameo on the final day of the campaign.
Lacey is hoping to kick on in 2026/27. Club staff are excited about the role he could play, and the youngster is giving himself the best chance of hitting the ground running by training in Marbella before pre-season. Marbella is a popular choice for United players. Kobbie Mainoo visited for a training camp in October, while United arranged a warm-weather training camp for the full squad there in 2020.
Obi Needs a Loan
Chido Obi's future for next season is up in the air. United decided that Obi would play exclusively in youth games last term, with staff believing he was overexposed too soon, having made seven senior appearances in 2024/25. There were plenty of signs of greenness from the young striker when he was given a chance to play by Ruben Amorim, and a plan was formed to help Obi improve his off-the-ball work and hold-up play.
Obi definitely improved last season, but did he improve enough to contribute to the first team in the new campaign? After watching him regularly, I think the best option would be for him to leave on loan. The Championship is where United tend to send highly-rated youngsters on loan, but Obi does not look ready to cut it in one of the most physically demanding leagues in the world. Obi would benefit from a loan to a European league with a slightly lower tempo and less physicality. The Eredivisie in the Netherlands feels like a good fit for his next move, for example.
Monga Set to Join Arsenal
Arsenal are moving closer to signing Jeremy Monga from Leicester City. The Academy Notebook highlighted in May that United had tracked Monga and held talks over a possible move, but that interest didn't go much further. Interested clubs have sensed an opportunity after Leicester's relegation, but a £15million price tag had been mentioned. Monga, 16, made 30 appearances for Leicester's first team last season, but where he would fit in at United, considering the fee involved, was always doubtful.
Arsenal have opened formal club-to-club talks to sign Monga, so it will be interesting to follow his career after his move to the Emirates. The best young players are always on United's radar, but such talents command high fees, and the club will only advance their interest if the financial side of a deal makes sense.
Talks Ongoing with Lawrence
At the beginning of the month, the Academy Notebook revealed that Adam Lawrence was in talks to stay in his role as U21 boss. A few weeks later, the update is that talks with Lawrence are ongoing. It's understood that Lawrence's contract with United expires at the end of June, but there is a willingness on both sides to continue the relationship.
Lawrence led the U21s to the Premier League 2 play-off final, where they were narrowly beaten by Brighton, and his interim stint in charge has been viewed as a success by academy chiefs. The 40-year-old is still living in Manchester, and continuing in the role should make sense for both parties.
Reaction to a Big Decision
United’s U21s will not take part in the EFL Trophy or National League Cup next season. With the return to the UEFA Youth League, the decision has been made not to compete in those competitions. The academy will review its games programme again ahead of the 2027/28 season and decide whether to ‘re-enter’ the competitions. United are expecting their PDP group to be slightly smaller this season to increase opportunities and develop talent.
United believe the decision will provide a better balance of games and experience for their young players, but pulling out of those competitions is a tad surprising, given that coaches have always waxed lyrical about how beneficial they are. Mainoo is a recent example of someone who really benefited from playing in the EFL Trophy. "Mainoo is perhaps the most exciting player in the academy," I wrote when I watched the U21s play away at Fleetwood in October 2022, three months before he made his senior debut.
The EFL Trophy and National League Cup pit academy teams against senior opposition, so they were seen internally as the most useful for preparing academy players for men's football. The PDP group (U17-U21) of players is not as bloated as in previous years, though, which has come into the thinking. The PDP group is viewed as "healthy", whereas in previous years it tended to include several players who would have been best served with a move away. Still, the decision is surprising, although it's important to stress United can 're-enter' the competitions in 2027/28.
