Ineos have made Man Utd the place to be for young talents again, but a blow is in the offing to that narrative.
Ever since Michael Carrick came in, the link between the first team and the academy has strengthened immensely in a much-needed reset.
Young players feel like there’s an opening for them in the first team if they keep doing the right things, but that message hasn’t resonated with one “highly-rated” youngster.
He’s set to depart Man Utd this summer, with a host of top clubs, including Barcelona, trying to sign him.
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Darlington Osuchukwu set to depart Man Utd
If there was ever a player who would be fully justified in wanting to leave the current Man Utd due to a lack of opportunities, Darlington Osuchukwu is it.
That is because Osuchukwu is a goalkeeper at a club where there is an embarrassment of riches in that position.
From Senne Lammens having the No. 1 position secured, even Radek Vitek looks like leaving the club, so it was always a tall order for a 16-year-old who isn’t even playing for the U18s.
Pete O’Rourke reports that Osuchukwu has made the decision to leave United to find a better path to the first team, and a host of top clubs are chasing him.
Barcelona are the marquee name, but the likes of Frankfurt, Reims, and Anderlecht are also in the race.
He might join one of the “lesser” teams to have a better chance of a first-team berth, and then use that to eventually jump to a bigger team.
How big a loss is Osuchukwu?
Osuchukwu is an exciting talent who would have been in line to become a regular for the U18s next season after a shake-up at the academy level.
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Already standing at 6’3″, he cuts an imposing figure in goal, and he has been watched by Spanish giants for a while now.
Since signing for the club as a 13-year-old, a return to Spain always seemed likely, so Barcelona might be leading the race for him.
It is interesting to note that fellow teammate Jaume Camacho previously hinted at Osuchukwu’s departure, so this news confirms what was expected for a while.
Osuchukwu will be a big loss for Man Utd, but the goalkeeping position is a unique one where a single player can block it for decades.
It will be interesting to follow his career as he is clearly an extremely talented player in the making.
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