Manchester United's illustrious youth academy might form a strong pillar of the club's identity, but that does not mean Erik ten Hag is going to give youngsters a chance just to keep up the brand image.
One of the key reasons why United appointed the Dutchman a year ago was due to his proven track record of nurturing top young talent, something he has already started doing at United.
Charlie McNeill and Kobbie Mainoo were both given first-team debuts last season, while Alejandro Garnacho made the transition from academy hopeful to a permanent senior squad member.
United fans are already excited to see just how far those three players could go under the guidance of Ten Hag, and there is already speculation about who the next youngster to gain a promotion might be.
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One thing is for sure: it won't be Zidane Iqbal.
It was less than a year ago that the 20-year-old signed a new long-term contract with United and went on to be a breakout star on their summer tour.
His performances in those first few matches looked set to assure him of a successful time with his boyhood club, yet he would never make a competitive appearance under Ten Hag and is now on the verge of a permanent exit.
United have accepted an offer, believed to be around €1million, from FC Utrecht for Iqbal. It is a small fee, but one they feel reflects his current value, and the club stands to make even more money having insisted on a significant future sell-on clause.
Many supporters were shocked to hear of the deal, nevermind the amount of money he was going for, and there is an undeniable sense of missed opportunity given he didn't play at all last season.
However, it is a brutal reminder of the extremely high standards set by Ten Hag and a warning to other academy hopefuls that they need to be exceptional to ever get a chance.
Club sources say Ten Hag has taken on more responsibility in the academy since his appointment, having felt the U21s were 'isolated' before his arrival.
Just as he did at Ajax, the 53-year-old takes an active role in deciding which youngsters train with the first team rather than having players recommended to him, and there is more cooperation between the different departments.
It means Ten Hag is aware more than most of how good United's youngsters actually are, and he is in a good position to make his own judgments on who really has what it takes to make it under him.
He could have another tough decision to make amid Borussia Dortmund's interest in signing Hannibal Mejbri this summer.
The United manager has proven he can be trusted to make decisions in the best interest of the club, and while Iqbal's sale certainly hurts, supporters will need to put their faith in his latest bold call.
Ten Hag's high standards are clear to see, but there should be just as much excitement as there is anger, given that he has already identified a few youngsters who he thinks can reach those heights.
High standards have been set, and it is up to the youngsters to meet them.
