For the Manchester United academy players, the year of football is done with a winter break now underway.
Manchester United capped off a very successful year with a big FA Youth Cup win over Coventry on Wednesday.
Adam Lawrence’s side are in the running to match last year’s United treble-winning campaign, and possibly even better it all being well.
The year has seen some standout players, both last season, this season and across the two.
So as the U18s are done for the year, here are who we have ranked as the three best performers for Lawrence’s side.
Honourable mentions: Amir Ibragimov, Chido Obi, Ethan Williams, Harry Amass, Jacob Devaney and Jack Fletcher.
READ: Man Utd under-18s top scorers and assists in 2024/25, all results
3. Ethan Wheatley
In at number three is Ethan Wheatley, who is the player from last season’s U18 side who has had the most success. But only gets third as he hasn’t been involved in the U18s this season.
Wheatley was handed his debut by Erik ten Hag at the back end of last season and since then has been a U21 forward more or less to great success.
Wheatley was as free-scoring at U18 as Biancheri and looks set to take the next step in his career come January with a loan move to Wrexham rumoured.
2. James Scanlon
In at number two, James Scanlon has gone from strength to strength this year and this season particularly has cast himself into the limelight as the most dangerous player Lawrence has.
Last season in 2024, Scanlon scored six goals and assisted three in eight games. But this season he has dominated, scoring 11 goals and assisting four for the U18s under Lawrence.
READ: Man Utd under-18s top scorers and assists in 2024/25, all results
Without even mentioning United, Scanlon has also become a regular for the Gibraltar senior national team which is an impressive feat in itself.
Scanlon’s time at U18 is coming to an end, but 2025 promises to be an exciting year for the 18-year-old having already shown promise at U19 level with a goal in the UEFA Youth League.
READ: Who is Manchester United’s James Scanlon? Age, Position, Height, International caps and more
1. Gabriele Biancheri
Having arrived from Cardiff back in January 2023, Gabriele Biancheri took a little while to find his feet, but in 2024 the Wales U19 international truly came into his own as a goalscorer for United.
Biancheri has scored 17 U18 Premier League goals this calendar year (nine in 12 last season, eight in six this) along with four in the U18 PL Cup (one last season, three this season).
Due to the remarkable success of a player compared to Sergio Aguero earlier in his career, the 18-year-old has been promoted to the U21s, where he has also been unstoppable in front of goal.
Biancheri has proven himself to be one of the very best at Carrington and deserves to be named the best U18 player of the season. He will however hope for more of a look in at the senior level in 2025.
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