Jose Mourinho’s second meltdown in the space of a few days has highlighted just how much work he still has to do to get his Manchester United squad where he wants it to be.
The Old Trafford boss accused many of his stars of lacking the class, desire and personality to be United players despite beating Brighton to book a place in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday.
Mourinho’s latest outburst came just a day after his 12-minute rant about the club’s ‘heritage’ and leaves question marks hanging over the futures of numerous players.
It will be a big surprise if the likes of Chris Smalling, Luke Shaw and others survive at the club beyond the summer as Mourinho strives to deliver silverware at Old Trafford.
However, their exits will potentially open the door for some players currently out on loan to get a chance in the first team squad next season.
We take a look at three youngsters who look ready to make their mark for the Red Devils.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah – Crystal Palace
The 20-year-old has impressed at Palace, making 20 appearances in the Premier League at both right-back and centre-half.
The Netherlands international has been on the bench for the last two games after missing the match against his parent club, but his performances prior to that haven’t gone unnoticed by Mourinho.
He was excellent in Palace’s goalless draw against Premier League leaders Manchester City, keeping Leroy Sane quiet and earning the Man-of-the-Match award.
His versatility is an added bonus and the defender looks well-placed to get his chance in the first team squad next term.
Demetri Mitchell – Hearts
With Luke Shaw failing to impress Mourinho and Ashley Young heading towards the latter stages of his career, Mitchell could have a golden opportunity to step up next season.
The left-back joined Hearts during the January transfer window and he made an immediate impact on their manager Craig Levein.
The Hearts boss named Mitchell as the best loanee he has ever had and although a knee injury has halted his progress, the 21-year-old is another player who could be handed an opportunity next season.
Axel Tuanzebe – Aston Villa
Mourinho has already sung the praises of Tuanzebe who is rated as one of the best prospects to come through the academy in recent years.
The 20-year-old made just three appearances for Villa before injuring his hamstring, but the club he has been allowed to join on loan in January is very significant in terms of his future prospects.
Villa boss and ex-United star Steve Bruce knows a thing or two about defending, while the presence of former Chelsea captain John Terry can only help Tuanzebe’s development.
The England U21 defender has a promising career ahead of him and he may well be a permanent member of United’s first team squad for the 2018/19 campaign.
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