Manchester United have produced some fantastic footballers in their academy in recent years. Of course, one could look as far back as the Class of ‘92 for an example of these talented players. The likes of David Beckham, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville, to name but three, are some of the biggest legends in United history.
Nowadays, there are far fewer players flying the flag for Carrington in the first team. Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have become prominent players at Old Trafford, and both scored in last season’s FA Cup final win over Manchester City.
The other notable academy graduate in the United first team today is Marcus Rashford.
Rashford’s United career
Wythenshawe-born Marcus Rashford is a boyhood Red Devil. He is currently living his childhood dream, playing for the side he supported growing up, although there have naturally been plenty of ups and downs.
Rashford’s contribution to the football club has been fantastic. He has played an incredible 426 times for United, scoring 138 goals and grabbing 63 assists in that time.
He is 12th on the list of all-time top goalscorers for the club and needs eight strikes to break into the top ten, which would see him overtake Cristiano Ronaldo.
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Perhaps the winger’s best season in that famous Red shirt came in 2022/23. That season, he scored 30 times and grabbed nine assists in 56 games.
There were many memorable goals in 2022/23, but his goal away to FC Barcelona is one that will surely live long in the memory of United fans.
Recently, things have turned sour for the United legend at Old Trafford. He has been left out of the last two matchday squads by Ruben Amorim and gave a shattering interview on Wednesday afternoon. He told journalist Henry Winter he feels “ready for a new challenge”, fueling rumours he will leave.
If the Red Devils number ten does leave Old Trafford, it is time for another academy attacker to step into his shoes and become the face of the club. That man could be Gabriele Biancheri.
Man Utd's next Rashford
Welsh youngster Biancheri joined the Red Devils academy from Cardiff City as a 16-year-old in February 2023. Now 18, he has a professional contract at the club and has been making waves for the academy at Old Trafford.
It has been a phenomenal start to the 2024/25 season for the youngster, who simply cannot stop scoring. Across all competitions for both the under-18 and under-21 sides at United, he has 13 goals in 16 games.
That is already more goals than Rashford scored for youth sides at Carrington, impressive given the number of goals he has scored at first-team level.
Competition
Games
Minutes
Goals
U18 PL
6
403
8
PL2
5
194
2
UEFA Youth League
4
124
3
EFL Trophy
1
5
0
So, just based on his goal-scoring stats, it is fair to say that Biancheri is a clinical scorer, even bettering some of Rashford’s numbers. He has scored more goals this term than any of United’s first team stars. Garnacho is currently leading the way with eight goals.
Indeed, football analyst Ben Mattinson seems to agree and described the Welshman as a “fox in the box”, which is exactly what Amorim would surely like to see in his strikers. That is to say, a genuine goalscorer, which is what United have lacked of late.
If Rashford does end up leaving Old Trafford, perhaps Biancheri could be the man to step into his shoes, while following in the Englishman’s footsteps as an emerging centre-forward star from the youth ranks.
Red Devils fans should not necessarily expect big things immediately, but he could certainly become the next great academy graduate, especially if he continues this electric form.
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