Manchester United
boasts one of the finest youth academies in England, even though not all of their promising youngsters succeed in establishing themselves at Old Trafford.
Many of these individuals have ended up without a team in the 2024-25 season. This situation stems from various reasons, such as performance issues, severe injuries, or simply waiting for the appropriate chance to arise.
After examining United's ex-academy players, we discovered nine individuals who are presently without a team.
Brandon Williams
Since being let go by United following the conclusion of last season, this 24-year-old player hasn't signed with any team yet.
Williams racked up 51 senior appearances for the Red Devils during his formative years, but injuries have constantly hampered his progression.
Rangers were supposedly interested in the full-back last summer, although a move never materialised in the end.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah
Fosu-Mensah received his first-team opportunity with Louis van Gaal as manager and subsequently made 30 appearances for the team prior to departing in 2021.
He then signed for Bayer Leverkusen, but injuries haven’t been kind to him over the years.
The 27-year-old has suffered two ACL injuries during his career so far, along with various other knocks and fitness issues.
Due to an injury, he sat out the whole 2023-24 season and did not play even once for Leverkusen during their championship run.
In January, he was connected to clubs such as Middlesbrough and Swansea, yet he remains without a team.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson
Since his contract with the Polish team Śląsk Wrocław was ended last summer, this 28-year-old player has remained without a club.
He’s therefore spent the entire 2024-25 campaign without a club and it remains to be seen if he’ll find a club for next season.
Paul Pogba
After serving an 18-month ban due to doping, the French player can now return to playing football.
He’s been without a club since being released by Juventus last year and seems to be biding his time before committing his future to his next club.
Recently, clubs from MLS and Saudi Arabia have been mentioned as potential destinations for the 32-year-old player; however, a comeback to European football also remains possible. Stay tuned.
Tyler Blackett
The multifaceted defender made 12 first-team outings for United prior to departing the club in 2016.
He has since built a respectable career in the Championship, including spells at Reading, Nottingham Forest, and Rotherham.
After being released by Rotherham during the previous summer, he hasn’t managed to secure a spot at another club this season and remains without a team.
"It hasn’t been an easy journey in any sense; this is something I haven't encountered during my career before. There have been some good days mixed with the challenging ones," Blackett said to Flashscore when talking about his experience as a free agent.
It's all about finding the perfect match now. At various points, there has been some interest, but it hasn’t quite aligned with what I’m looking for.
Josh Harrop
Notably, Harrop netted against Crystal Palace during his sole senior match for the Red Devils.
During his time at Preston North End in the Championship, the inventive midfielder exhibited moments of brilliance; however, persistent injuries have repeatedly disrupted his development.
After brief stints with Northampton and Cheltenham Town, he has remained without a team since the previous summer.
To remain engaged with football, Harrop has joined the Baller League UK, a six-on-six indoor soccer tournament featuring squads made up of professionals, semiprofessionals, and futsal athletes.
READ:
9 ex-Premier League players we're shocked are now competing in the Baller League UK
Zak Dearnley
Dearnley made the bench for United under Jose Mourinho but never got the chance to make a senior appearance.
After being let go, he enjoyed a stint with Oldham Athletic in League Two and has since been playing non-league football at various levels.
The 26-year-old most recently played for Ossett United but has been without a club since last summer.
Raheem Hanley
Hanley was part of the United youth academy for six years but failed to break into the main squad.
He also played for Blackburn Rovers and Swansea, yet he struggled to find consistent playing time at these clubs.
He only achieved his senior breakthrough when he joined Northampton Town in 2016, but after departing from them in 2018, he has mostly played in non-league competitions.
Most recently, he was with West Didsbury, and he hasn't had a team since departing from them during the previous summer.
Tom Thorpe
The center-back made a single senior appearance for United in the Premier League during the 2014–15 season.
After departing the club, he has participated across different tiers; however, he has seen limited action recently following a hiatus from soccer because of his mental well-being.
Thorpe last played for Stalybridge, and it’s unclear whether he will return to the game.
"I'll continue playing football as long as I'm enjoying it," Thorpe stated to BBC Sport in 2023.
“If that stops, then it’s not something that I want to continue doing. I’m not putting any pressure on myself as to where I aspire to go to.
During my previous gameplay, I was overly concerned with impressing the incorrect individuals. It dawned on me that maintaining good mental health is far more crucial than anything else.
READ NEXT:
7 Man Utd academy graduates we can’t believe are playing in non-league
TRY A QUIZ:
Could you list all the players Ralf Rangnick utilized during his tenure as Manchester United's manager?
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