Manchester United’s academy provides a platform for youngsters to take the first step in their careers, but after leaving the club, it is not always easy.
Making the step from Manchester United’s academy to the first team is not easy, and many young talents are forced to look elsewhere to further their careers.
James Garner is an example of a player who left United to get first team action at Everton, and he has gone onto become a proven Premier League midfielder.
Omari Forson’s decision to quit United last summer for Monza has yet to pan out. He has struggled to make an impact for the Italian side.
He should take a look at Dillon Hoogewerf’s recent trajectory for some encouragement, a young striker who quit United in early 2022, and has recently gone from zero to hero.
Dillon Hoogewerf’s journey at Manchester United
Dillon Hoogewerf signed for Manchester United at 16 from Ajax, hoping he could develop into a future star at the club. It was claimed by The Mail that United chose to sign him instead of a young Benjamin Sesko.
The early signs were good, with Hoogewerf striking up an effective partnership with Charlie McNeill for Manchester United’s under-18s side.
During the 2020/21 season Hoogewerf scored 12 goals and also provided a further 12 assists.
This included a spectacular end of season flourish where he scored 7 goals and provided 3 assists in just five games.
His 2021/22 season saw Hoogewerf step up to the under-21s, where he scored two goals in the first few weeks, before he decided to quit the club.
Hoogewerf left United in the 2022 January transfer window to move to Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Dillon Hoogewerf’s rise to become a star for Vitesse
Hoogewerf hoped his move to the Bundesliga would be a fast-track to first team football, with no opportunities opening up for him at Manchester United.
His spell in Germany was a disappointment, he played for their academy teams and left without playing a first team game, joining Vitesse in August 2024.
After beginning his career in Vitesse’s academy, he made his breakthrough last season and played in 19 games for the Dutch second tier side. But what he failed to do was score.
This season Hoogewerf has been a player transformed. He has scored three goals in six games for Vitesse and established himself as a key player.
While Vitesse are rooted to the bottom of the table after a crisis saw their professional license suspended during the summer, Hoogewerf’s performances are a bright spot for the team, also featuring 36-year-old former United player Alexander Buttner.
Whatever the future may hold for him, his rise is a reminder to persist, and a testament to the talent that remains, which once saw him score and create goals for fun in United’s academy.
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