A notable name in Bournemouth’s matchday squad tonight could be former Manchester United under-21 star Joe Rothwell.
Rothwell, 27, signed for Bournemouth on a free transfer in the summer, seven years after leaving Manchester United.
The midfielder left United in 2016, having been on United’s books since he was just six-years-old.
Now tonight, he is set to return to Old Trafford for the first time as an opposition player.
READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfers in, out, loan deals for January 2023
Joe Rothwell was named on Manchester United bench by Louis van Gaal
Joe Rothwell was named in a Manchester United matchday squad for a Premier League game by Louis van Gaal, shortly after Marcus Rashford made his debut.
The midfielder was an unused substitute in Manchester United’s 1-0 win over Watford at Old Trafford in 2016, in which Juan Mata scored the winner.
Rothwell made 37 appearances for United’s under-21 side, and was an England under-20 international. He left United in the summer of 2016, following Van Gaal out the door.
He chose to sign with Oxford United as a free agent. Manager Michael Appleton, a former United trainee himself, told their club website at the time, “Joe is a really talented lad who we believe has a very bright future.
“He has played for all of the England age group teams and been around the first team at Old Trafford. He can play midfield or slightly further forward and he now gets a chance to get a run of games together and truly show what he can do.”
More than 80 first team games later, Rothwell earned a transfer to Blackburn Rovers, where he went onto make more than 160 appearances.
Rothwell provided 10 assists in the Championship last season and earned a move as a free agent to newly promoted Bournemouth.
However, a quad injury sustained in pre-season delayed his long-awaited return to the Premier League. He is now fully fit and has made four appearances since.
The latest of these was as a substitute in Bournemouth’s last match against Crystal Palace, and he is likely to be in the squad against United tonight, possibly even as a starter.
Quoted by the Bournemouth Echo, Rothwell says he will have a point to prove if he gets an opportunity.
He said: “It will be nice, it’s the first time I’ve been back since I left. Obviously, we’re going there and I want to win the game, there will be no doubt about that, and hopefully we can upset the odds and get something.
“It will be nice to go back but we’re going there to do a job. You want to play every game but going back to an old team, it’s probably the place where I grew up, you will have a point to prove.”
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