Joshua Harrop

Android1974

Incredibly anal about player positions in lineups
Joined
May 24, 2016
Messages
8,133
Can't wait to buy him back in a few years.
It would be good, it would mean he would have made it really well, which is something not so common and perhaps not to be expected. Anyhow, we can afford to and it's maybe best for his development. And it's apparently his choice.
 

Donut

Full Member
Joined
Apr 13, 2004
Messages
4,864
Must have been a hard choice for him, but most likely it was the correct one.
 

RedMachine03

Poster of Articles
Joined
Apr 1, 2012
Messages
12,453
Location
Australia
Preston North End have agreed a deal to sign Manchester United youngster Josh Harrop when his contract expires at Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old, who was United’s top scorer at reserve team level last season, has agreed a four-year contract at Deepdale from 3rd July.



The two sides have come to a significant undisclosed compensation agreement, with player turning down a new deal with the Premier League giant, but being under the age of 24, meaning they are entitled to a fee.

The Stockport-born attacking player came to the attention of supporters when he scored on his first team debut for Jose Mourinho’s side on the final day of last season, but he has ended his time with the Red Devils to join a number of former team-mates with the Lilywhites.

Speaking about the move he said: “I'm delighted to be here, it's a new start for me to get things going in my career and I'm buzzing to get playing and to make an impact in the team.

“I've got four years now at Preston North End where I know I am going to be and I am going to put everything into that and dedicated myself to do the best for the team and the best for the fans.
“Hopefully I can achieve my aims and ambitions that I have set myself by coming here and that's to get promoted with Preston North End and help the club get as high as we can.”

Manager Simon Grayson was delighted to have beaten a number of clubs to Josh’s signature, adding: “Josh is a player who has attracted a lot of interest this summer and we had to move quickly to secure his signature. He adds to our group of hungry young players who want to progress and we are looking forward to working with him and seeing him improve."

Speaking in United’s final league matchday programme of last season their reserve team boss Nicky Butt said of his then player of the year award nominee: “He’s talented, energetic and has a will to win, so he ticks a lot of boxes.”
 

Axkiko

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 5, 2015
Messages
438
Brave move for him. Also I think it's a right move for a 21 years old. He needs game time and he won't get much at United
 

SammyUnited_83

Full Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2011
Messages
3,199
Preston North End have agreed a deal to sign Manchester United youngster Josh Harrop when his contract expires at Old Trafford.

The 21-year-old, who was United’s top scorer at reserve team level last season, has agreed a four-year contract at Deepdale from 3rd July.



The two sides have come to a significant undisclosed compensation agreement, with player turning down a new deal with the Premier League giant, but being under the age of 24, meaning they are entitled to a fee.

The Stockport-born attacking player came to the attention of supporters when he scored on his first team debut for Jose Mourinho’s side on the final day of last season, but he has ended his time with the Red Devils to join a number of former team-mates with the Lilywhites.

Speaking about the move he said: “I'm delighted to be here, it's a new start for me to get things going in my career and I'm buzzing to get playing and to make an impact in the team.

“I've got four years now at Preston North End where I know I am going to be and I am going to put everything into that and dedicated myself to do the best for the team and the best for the fans.
“Hopefully I can achieve my aims and ambitions that I have set myself by coming here and that's to get promoted with Preston North End and help the club get as high as we can.”

Manager Simon Grayson was delighted to have beaten a number of clubs to Josh’s signature, adding: “Josh is a player who has attracted a lot of interest this summer and we had to move quickly to secure his signature. He adds to our group of hungry young players who want to progress and we are looking forward to working with him and seeing him improve."

Speaking in United’s final league matchday programme of last season their reserve team boss Nicky Butt said of his then player of the year award nominee: “He’s talented, energetic and has a will to win, so he ticks a lot of boxes.”
Awful jeans, smarten up FFS...!
 

khoazany

Full Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2012
Messages
6,518
Location
Singapore
Preston better get some good players to get promoted. Really want to see Pearson and Harrop in the PL at some point.
 

Dobbs

New Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
4,696
Always rated him, hopefully he can make his style work in the Championship and not get swallowed up.

It's a shame really. In a different era he might have been given an opportunity here. He's certainly more talented than Cleverley was at that age.
 

RAVred

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 7, 2016
Messages
598
Very unlikely.

The only youth player we bought back was the one we desperately wanted to keep.
Agree completely! Have no clue why people think he'll turn into something elite... Yes he's talented, but most likely at best a mid EPL team level starter (ergo Lingard). This is a great move for him, he'll get plenty of game time and chance to prove himself. Who knows, maybe in a few years he'll be a mainstay in West Ham, or something similar.

I think he'll be what Wilson, could have been, which honestly wasnt starter for Man Utd level anyways.

We have young attacking talent that are already mainstays (or at least subs) on our side, Martial and Rashford (Marital is actually only 10 days older than him). You cant just cram all young attacking talent onto the team, and considering some of the talent coming out of Europe; Man Utd will almost definitely want to pick up someone from the ranks of the Dembeles, Mbappe, Dolberg, Lemar, Dybala, Mor, Pulisic, etc. I think if one of those types of players has a proven good second season we will definitely try to make a statement signing with one of them next season (assuming Mourinho doesn't want Greizmann after the saga)
 
  • Like
Reactions: KM

GloryHunter07

Full Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2007
Messages
12,152
Fair play to him. It would be easy to extent his contact with us but he is trying to get some proper game time and progress.
 

Web of Bissaka

Full Member
Joined
Feb 20, 2017
Messages
8,553
Location
Losing to Comeback Winning!
:drool: Buy him back after becoming more lethal attacker.

Good choice for his career, 4 years at a lower tier club, guaranteed starter, should improve by a lot, will be great to bring Preston to EPL.
 

Arka_BleedingRed

Full Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2016
Messages
487
Agree completely! Have no clue why people think he'll turn into something elite... Yes he's talented, but most likely at best a mid EPL team level starter (ergo Lingard). This is a great move for him, he'll get plenty of game time and chance to prove himself. Who knows, maybe in a few years he'll be a mainstay in West Ham, or something similar.

I think he'll be what Wilson, could have been, which honestly wasnt starter for Man Utd level anyways.

We have young attacking talent that are already mainstays (or at least subs) on our side, Martial and Rashford (Marital is actually only 10 days older than him). You cant just cram all young attacking talent onto the team, and considering some of the talent coming out of Europe; Man Utd will almost definitely want to pick up someone from the ranks of the Dembeles, Mbappe, Dolberg, Lemar, Dybala, Mor, Pulisic, etc. I think if one of those types of players has a proven good second season we will definitely try to make a statement signing with one of them next season (assuming Mourinho doesn't want Greizmann after the saga)
I get that this is a good move for the player's future. But why do you think United, or other English clubs can't develop their own Dembeles, Mbappe, Dolberg, Lemar, Dybala, Mor, Pulisic etc.? Either the English talents must be vastly inferior to their other European Counterparts or it may be that at some stage of their development, something is going wrong. I think that after the academy phase, the Reserves team should be competing at some professional level just like in Spain, Germany etc. to give the talented youths enough exposure to first-team football. Also, Harrop hasn't disappointed whenever he has played in the Reserves and the only match he has played for us. So, on what basis can you say that his potential is limited to only mid table teams?
 

kul m

New Member
Newbie
Joined
May 11, 2016
Messages
53
This is one lad that we should of kept hold of, at all costs. Can't believe he's going. Definitely has the ability, has an eye for goal, skillful, he should of been given a fair crack at the whip, 4-5 games on the spin.....last 4 games of the last season, would of been perfect, probably wouldn't have scored the hat trick against spurs though lol ..... puzzles me, this one...I think the people at united have taken there eye of this lad.....hopefully this isn't another Pogba scenario.
 

spiriticon

Full Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
7,446
I think he's decent, the club tried to keep him but it was his choice to leave so good luck! Probably would get a lot more minutes at Preston than we could promise him at United, so I don't really blame him for making that decision.

Hope he makes it in his own way.
 

lewwoo

Full Member
Joined
Jun 18, 2016
Messages
1,700
Location
Bridgwater
Good luck to him. Can't blame him at all for leaving. The kid obviously wants to play and give himself the best chance to play first team football and progress. Will keep a keen eye on his career.
 

Dobbs

New Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2015
Messages
4,696
Agree completely! Have no clue why people think he'll turn into something elite... Yes he's talented, but most likely at best a mid EPL team level starter (ergo Lingard). This is a great move for him, he'll get plenty of game time and chance to prove himself. Who knows, maybe in a few years he'll be a mainstay in West Ham, or something similar.

I think he'll be what Wilson, could have been, which honestly wasnt starter for Man Utd level anyways.

We have young attacking talent that are already mainstays (or at least subs) on our side, Martial and Rashford (Marital is actually only 10 days older than him). You cant just cram all young attacking talent onto the team, and considering some of the talent coming out of Europe; Man Utd will almost definitely want to pick up someone from the ranks of the Dembeles, Mbappe, Dolberg, Lemar, Dybala, Mor, Pulisic, etc. I think if one of those types of players has a proven good second season we will definitely try to make a statement signing with one of them next season (assuming Mourinho doesn't want Greizmann after the saga)
Has anybody claimed he'll be an elite level player?
 

RAVred

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Apr 7, 2016
Messages
598
I get that this is a good move for the player's future. But why do you think United, or other English clubs can't develop their own Dembeles, Mbappe, Dolberg, Lemar, Dybala, Mor, Pulisic etc.? Either the English talents must be vastly inferior to their other European Counterparts or it may be that at some stage of their development, something is going wrong. I think that after the academy phase, the Reserves team should be competing at some professional level just like in Spain, Germany etc. to give the talented youths enough exposure to first-team football. Also, Harrop hasn't disappointed whenever he has played in the Reserves and the only match he has played for us. So, on what basis can you say that his potential is limited to only mid table teams?
Most english talent over the last few years has fizzled out. Its not even a last few years thing (it's been dreary for a while now. The pool right now is actually the best Englands had in the last decade + in terms of talent), so English teams weakness in Europe isn't even to blame.

What makes me say that is, at 21 he broke onto our team on a pointless game, yes he did perform, but 21 is actually late these days for top level talent. Especially considering how much we've lacked in attack over the last few seasons. Rashford, who was a few years younger, was preferred by LVG. Why hasnt he ever been called up for the u21 England team?


Actually English clubs ARE developing them, and they ARE english (Harry Kane and Dele Alli are standouts from other clubs). But they havent performed on as big stages as the likes of Dembele, Mbappe and most of who I listed, and for the most part are older.


I do think English teams are beginning to finally develop good talent, but that talent isnt necessarily english (e.g. Angel Gomes, Andreas Perreira, TFM, etc.). There is english talent being developed that could become mainstays (for United Rashford and Tuanzebe) in the NT, and for Rashford, he almost already is. But the point is you cant expect every talented u21 English player to go on to be worthy of being a starter for that club. People are extremely delusional in this regard, thinking that all of the youth played this season or on that day will become the level of players united needs. We all know thats bull and in a great scenario it would be 4 or 5.

Has anybody claimed he'll be an elite level player?
No, but if he wont be elite whats the point of us keeping him, especially if he maturely decided to leave for more game time?
 

Mr. MUJAC

Manchester United Youth Historian
Joined
Sep 19, 2005
Messages
6,277
Location
Walter Crickmer started it all...
Most english talent over the last few years has fizzled out. Its not even a last few years thing (it's been dreary for a while now. The pool right now is actually the best Englands had in the last decade + in terms of talent), so English teams weakness in Europe isn't even to blame.

What makes me say that is, at 21 he broke onto our team on a pointless game, yes he did perform, but 21 is actually late these days for top level talent. Especially considering how much we've lacked in attack over the last few seasons. Rashford, who was a few years younger, was preferred by LVG. Why hasnt he ever been called up for the u21 England team?


Actually English clubs ARE developing them, and they ARE english (Harry Kane and Dele Alli are standouts from other clubs). But they havent performed on as big stages as the likes of Dembele, Mbappe and most of who I listed, and for the most part are older.


I do think English teams are beginning to finally develop good talent, but that talent isnt necessarily english (e.g. Angel Gomes, Andreas Perreira, TFM, etc.). There is english talent being developed that could become mainstays (for United Rashford and Tuanzebe) in the NT, and for Rashford, he almost already is. But the point is you cant expect every talented u21 English player to go on to be worthy of being a starter for that club. People are extremely delusional in this regard, thinking that all of the youth played this season or on that day will become the level of players united needs. We all know thats bull and in a great scenario it would be 4 or 5.


No, but if he wont be elite whats the point of us keeping him, especially if he maturely decided to leave for more game time?
Gomes is English...
 

Lizard

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Oct 26, 2016
Messages
139
Supports
Liverpool
Seems to me that youngsters at clubs that spend millions on top class players rather than develop their own (Chelsea, Man United etc.) are slowly realizing that they have to move in order to have a career. Just like Solanke, Harrop realized that as well, so good luck to him. Thought goal he scored in PL last season was really impressive, so looking forward to what he can do for Preston.
 

jb8521

Full Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2007
Messages
4,526
I find some of the reactions to this a bit bizarre considering he's already 21 and had a relatively poor season in general (not entirely his fault considering the make up of our u23s squad) and only really started to impress in the last few games of the u23s season. Obviously his profile was boosted quite a bit with the Palace game but realistically he'd probably be 5th/6th choice at best in any of his preferred positions in the coming season. He has plenty of talent and I hope he has a successful career but there are a number of equally talented and more talented younger players coming through in the same positions he plays as well as Pereira coming back from loan.
 

WhoDaGOAT

New Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2015
Messages
3,719
He should have went to an Eredivisie club for a year or two, like Baker at Chelsea.
 

kundalini

Full Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2004
Messages
5,755
4 years is a long contract in the context of the Championship. According to Transfermarkt, only 2 Preston players have deals up to summer 2020, one of whom is Ben Pearson. Josh Harrop's will take him up to 2021.

James Weir and Will Keane signed 3 year deals when they joined Hull (in the PL). Donald Love and McNair got 4 year deals for Sunderland. Tom Thorpe 2 years at Rotherham. Joe Rothwell 2 year deal at Oxford in League One.
 
Last edited:

Mr. MUJAC

Manchester United Youth Historian
Joined
Sep 19, 2005
Messages
6,277
Location
Walter Crickmer started it all...
Seems to me that youngsters at clubs that spend millions on top class players rather than develop their own (Chelsea, Man United etc.) are slowly realizing that they have to move in order to have a career. Just like Solanke, Harrop realized that as well, so good luck to him. Thought goal he scored in PL last season was really impressive, so looking forward to what he can do for Preston.
To be fair...we still develop more home grown players than most clubs so putting us in with Chelsea is not a good comparison.
 

Jaybomb

New Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
4,459
Yeah I'm not happy with this.

Why are we selling our homegrown players to accommodate lazy overpaid players with no passion like Martial? Ferguson would be ashamed.

If they were playing now, we would have sold a young Giggs and Scholes to make way for someone like Tielemans. We need passionate homegrown stars.

Yes I know he didn't sign a new deal but I doubt he was offered minutes. You would think after that debut, he would be given a proper shot like Rashford was. But nope. We're only looking at his age and not the potential. Lingard was 23 when he broke through.

No doubt Wilson and Januzaj will be sold too. :(
 

Sid234

Full Member
Joined
Feb 24, 2013
Messages
3,748
Location
Infinity
Yeah I'm not happy with this.

Why are we selling our homegrown players to accommodate lazy overpaid players with no passion like Martial? Ferguson would be ashamed.

If they were playing now, we would have sold a young Giggs and Scholes to make way for someone like Tielemans. We need passionate homegrown stars.

Yes I know he didn't sign a new deal but I doubt he was offered minutes. You would think after that debut, he would be given a proper shot like Rashford was. But nope. We're only looking at his age and not the potential. Lingard was 23 when he broke through.

No doubt Wilson and Januzaj will be sold too. :(
We didn't sell Harrop. We wanted to keep him and offered him a new contract as well but he decided to sign with PNE instead as they can guarantee him 1st team football right away.

Stop blaming the club for something they can't control, unless you want the club to lie to youngsters like Harrop, promising them a 1st team position next season, when it won't exist. That would be really be going against how the club does things
 

izzydiggler

Full Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2006
Messages
3,099
He joins the thousands of youth players never to make it as a regular - likely not good enough to ever do so and no absolutely no shame in it - best of luck to him but ultimately it's highly likely to be no big loss for the club.
 

Kostur

海尔的老板
Joined
Mar 8, 2012
Messages
28,749
Location
Poland, Kraków
Yeah I'm not happy with this.

Why are we selling our homegrown players to accommodate lazy overpaid players with no passion like Martial? Ferguson would be ashamed.

If they were playing now, we would have sold a young Giggs and Scholes to make way for someone like Tielemans. We need passionate homegrown stars.

Yes I know he didn't sign a new deal but I doubt he was offered minutes. You would think after that debut, he would be given a proper shot like Rashford was. But nope. We're only looking at his age and not the potential. Lingard was 23 when he broke through.

No doubt Wilson and Januzaj will be sold too. :(
I love to hate my club, The.

 

Jaybomb

New Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2016
Messages
4,459
We didn't sell Harrop. We wanted to keep him and offered him a new contract as well but he decided to sign with PNE instead as they can guarantee him 1st team football right away.

Stop blaming the club for something they can't control, unless you want the club to lie to youngsters like Harrop, promising them a 1st team position next season, when it won't exist. That would be really be going against how the club does things
He should have been used next season. He chose to leave cause he wasn't gonna get used.