Which youngsters will feature on Tour? (2015-2016 version)

khoazany

Full Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2012
Messages
6,581
Location
Singapore
You know what we're doing here.Bit of context information:
- United had 25 players in their pre-season tour squad last season.
- United has 26 players in their first team squad this season - players who played at least one league game for us this season, plus the two GKs Lindegaard and Valdes. (so Nani,Chicharito,Cleverley,James,W.Keane,Johnstone,Janko not counted but Thorpe,McNair,Blackett,Wilson and Pereira are).Note that Falcao also counted.

A decent article on The People's Person who pointed out Pearson,Fosu-Mensah and Harrop as 3 potential names:
http://thepeoplesperson.com/2015/04...ould-go-on-man-uniteds-pre-season-tour-90677/

Hardly a list that everyone would agree with so would be interesting to know what's the caf's opinion.

IMO it's obvious that Januzaj,McNair,Blackett,Wilson,Pereira and Johnstone will go on Tour if they're not sent out on loan early so if we exclude them, who will be the youngsters that get on the plane?

My personal list for debating purpose:
1. Lingard
2. W.Keane
3. R.James
4. Janko
5. Pearson
6. Rothwell
7. (the dark horse) Goss

Who would be in your list and who would be your "dark horse" (if any?)
 
Last edited:
I think Will Keane will leave before then, but Lingard and James will probably tour and there's a chance Pearson might I'd say.
 
I think Lingard is a cert to go.

Others in with a chance include Varela, Thorpe plus the names you mention.

Dark horse? Not sure

Have you heard anything about whether Thorpe will be kept?His contract will run out this summer if I'm not wrong and I can't see any way for him to force his way into the first team.

Varela ahead of Janko if he does come back I agree.
 
James for Blackett, and I think we might see Mensah and Janko go too. If Pereira does leave to PSG then Pearson in for him
 
Probably too early but I'd like to see CBJ, Taunzebe and Fosu-Mensah go on the tour although I think it's probably a year or two early to get a game. Being with the squad would be great for them.
 
Saw an article that said fosu mensah might go. Probably not to different from last season, one or two new players probably
 
the players who should go:
Johnstone; Thorpe, McNair, James; Pearson, Rothwell, Pereira, Lingard; Keane and Wilson

Thats 9 + gk who is certain to go....maybe one or two to much but this are the ones who deserve to go.
 
the players who should go:
Johnstone; Thorpe, McNair, James; Pearson, Rothwell, Pereira, Lingard; Keane and Wilson

Thats 9 + gk who is certain to go....maybe one or two to much but this are the ones who deserve to go.
Thorpe's contract is expiring this summer and won't be extended most likely. And I don't think Keane will go, he will be sold.
 
For Castilla I assume?

Yeah, last I heard he was playing for them on loan and Zidane rated him highly, etc. Was included in first team's CL squad as well I think (obviously he isn't going to displace Carvajal or Danillo).
 
Yeah, last I heard he was playing for them on loan and Zidane rated him highly, etc. Was included in first team's CL squad as well I think (obviously he isn't going to displace Carvajal or Danillo).

That's why I asked. I think he's best to get first team elsewhere unless a loan would be planned.
 
Don't think we will include anyone that not even an U21s regular yet.People here way too underestimate that step up.
I understand perfectly how large the gap is between professional football and the U22s for example. However I do feel that taking a young player with potential to a summer tour is more beneficial than having him sit around at home. After all, he would be training with the first team and maybe get a odd game if he impresses in training.
 
I understand perfectly how large the gap is between professional football and the U22s for example. However I do feel that taking a young player with potential to a summer tour is more beneficial than having him sit around at home. After all, he would be training with the first team and maybe get a odd game if he impresses in training.
I remember Fergie taking Blackett on tour when he was 17, so it's not that it's impossible or not likely to happen.
 
I remember Fergie taking Blackett on tour when he was 17, so it's not that it's impossible or not likely to happen.

We missed a lot of senior players in that pre-season due to the World Cup so Fergie had to take Blackett because he's the only Reserves left back available after Fryers gone.

I understand perfectly how large the gap is between professional football and the U22s for example. However I do feel that taking a young player with potential to a summer tour is more beneficial than having him sit around at home. After all, he would be training with the first team and maybe get a odd game if he impresses in training.

He won't sit at home.He will go to pre-season with the U21s which will only beneficial to him to make his way into Joyce's side.He's not even ahead of Tuanzebe in the U21's pecking order let alone going to first team pre-season (and Tuanzebe is hardly U21s regular).
 
Lingard will most likely be in the England squad for the U21 Euros though, and if they do well he might miss out on the tour. Same goes for our South Americans who will be playing in the Copa America. Rojo, Di Maria, Valencia, Falcao (not that I think we'll keep him) are all starters for their national teams, so no question if they will be going, but Henriquez and Varela also have a chance of making the squads of Chile and Uruguay (although they both might be sold by that time).

I also think Evans, Keane, Lindegaard, Powell, Thorpe, Amos, Rafael:( and Hernandez will be sold/let go/not given a new contract.

Without taking into account that we'll most likely have bought some new players, that leaves this squad:

GK:
De Gea, Valdés, Johnstone

Defence:
Shaw, Jones, Smalling, McNair, James, Blackett

Midfield/Wingers:
Mata, Januzaj, Carrick, Nani, Blind, Young, Herrera, Fellaini

Strikers:
Rooney, RVP, Wilson

5 places up for grabs, and I hope they are taken by Pearson, Rothwell, Pereira, Harrop and Janko. It would also be fun to see Tuanzebe, TFM, Mitchell, Rashford and Gribbin, but I suspect it might be a year to early for them.
 
I don't think Will Keane should be going, he really doesn't have much chance if any of making it here and it would be better for him really to get an early move and go on tour with a new club.

The obvious ones who are already playing in the league of course will go. Then coming back from loan and already having first team appearances James, Lingard and Janko will likely go. Pearson has done well on loan and deserves to be in there and still with the u21s I hope to see Joe Rothwell and Josh Harrop getting to tag along as well. I think van Gaal could then just pluck out an u18 to bring along, obvious candidates would be Fosu-Mensah and Tuanzebe. With a shorter tour though I think he'll probably take a smaller squad with less youth players.

I think Rothwell and Harrop are a bit of wishful thinking too, I wouldn't be surprised to see neither on tour despite me wanting them to go so much. All our senior CMs will be there and if we sign a new CM early that is another one. Then you got Andreas and Pearson who fill the roles of young attack-minded midfielder and defensive-minded midfielder respectively. Will van Gaal want to bring along a third or fourth young CM on tour? Unfortunately, I don't think he will.
 
Januzaj, Wilson, Lingard, Henriquez, McNair, Blackett, James, Powell, Pearson and Johnstone*/J.Pereira would be all on my tour list.

*If Preston are playing Championship football next season then Johnstone will probably have another season there....so he should have the pre-season then with them.

A.Pereira will go 100% on tour but before he must sign of course a new contract.
Janko could probably go because Valencia will play the Copa America, Rafael will leave the club and who knows when the new right-back will arrive at the club in the summer.
I think Rothwell and Goss have only a chance if we have a couple of injuries in midfield.

I don't think Keane, Thorpe and Varela will be under contract at Old Trafford in September.
 
Last edited:
Considering tour might be shorter this time doubt many will feature.

Januzaj, Wilson, Mcnair, Blackett seem obvious if not out on loan by then. Lingard also.

Beyond that might have one goalkeeper (Johnstone/J.Pereira) and Andreas Pereira assuming he stays.
 
Looks like Pereira will be going to the U20 World Cup with Brazil this summer, so if he stays at United he will most likely not be on the Tour. Leaves a spot open.
 
Lingard will most likely be in the England squad for the U21 Euros though, and if they do well he might miss out on the tour. Same goes for our South Americans who will be playing in the Copa America. Rojo, Di Maria, Valencia, Falcao (not that I think we'll keep him) are all starters for their national teams, so no question if they will be going, but Henriquez and Varela also have a chance of making the squads of Chile and Uruguay (although they both might be sold by that time).

I also think Evans, Keane, Lindegaard, Powell, Thorpe, Amos, Rafael:( and Hernandez will be sold/let go/not given a new contract.

Without taking into account that we'll most likely have bought some new players, that leaves this squad:

GK:
De Gea, Valdés, Johnstone

Defence:
Shaw, Jones, Smalling, McNair, James, Blackett

Midfield/Wingers:
Mata, Januzaj, Carrick, Nani, Blind, Young, Herrera, Fellaini

Strikers:
Rooney, RVP, Wilson

5 places up for grabs, and I hope they are taken by Pearson, Rothwell, Pereira, Harrop and Janko. It would also be fun to see Tuanzebe, TFM, Mitchell, Rashford and Gribbin, but I suspect it might be a year to early for them.

Shaw will probably be in the England squad too.
 
Shaw will probably be in the England squad too.

For some reason I think of Shaw as being at least 25, but you are probably right about him going.

The tour doesn't start until a month after the u20 WC, I'm sure he won't miss out on the tour because of that.

I suppose it depends on how well Brazil does in the tournament, but in a "worst case senaio" where they reach the final(they are in an easy group and have a good team IMO), they will go home (at the earliest) the 20th of June. Players are usually given about four weeks of vacation, which brings us to the 17th July. So he will come back from vacation the same day United play Club America in Seattle.

I really want to see him on the Tour though, so I hope they are beaten 0-5 by Nigeria, North Korea and Hungary in the groupstage:)
 
I suppose it depends on how well Brazil does in the tournament, but in a "worst case senaio" where they reach the final(they are in an easy group and have a good team IMO), they will go home (at the earliest) the 20th of June. Players are usually given about four weeks of vacation, which brings us to the 17th July. So he will come back from vacation the same day United play Club America in Seattle.

I really want to see him on the Tour though, so I hope they are beaten 0-5 by Nigeria, North Korea and Hungary in the groupstage:)
I'd expect him to cut his vacation short in that scenario. If he is serious about making it here which by all means it looks like he is I can not see him turning up the tour to go on vacation.
 
I'd expect him to cut his vacation short in that scenario. If he is serious about making it here which by all means it looks like he is I can not see him turning up the tour to go on vacation.

Based on the workrate he has shown in the U21's this year, I agree a 100% that he means buisness.
I just think that LvG will want to take players that have been training hard for a week or two, and if Brazil reaches the final that gives him about ten days of vacation.
 
Pereira (if he is still here)
Pearson
Rothwell
Lingard
Thorpe
 


Good planning from us if true (the first part).Might allow the youngsters not picked for Tour to go on loan early.
 


Good planning from us if true (the first part).Might allow the youngsters not picked for Tour to go on loan early.


I assume Rob Dawson doesn't actually know who's been given the green light, just that the players knows. Weird if Thorpe goes when he's not given a new contract.
 
I assume Rob Dawson doesn't actually know who's been given the green light, just that the players knows. Weird if Thorpe goes when he's not given a new contract.

Yeah Dawson surely doesn't know, I referred more to the part that players already knew who's been given the green light.That would allow us to try to secure loan moves for those that's not on LVG's pre-season plan earlier than having to wait until mid July plus they can go on pre-season with their new clubs etc.
 
Last edited:
Yeah Dawson surely doesn't know, I referred more to the part that players already knew who's been given the green light.That would allow us to try to secure loan moves for those that's not on LVG's pre-season plan earlier than having to wait until mid July and they can go on pre-season with their new clubs etc.

Yes, I got that part, and I totally agree. Unlike last season(and many before that), it seems like the club is making some long term plans for our youngsters, which I think is excellent.