Alejandro Garnacho didn't make a single appearance on Manchester United's pre-season tour in the summer just gone. Tahith Chong was even given the opportunity to play and the youngster was the only outfield player not to be given any minutes.
Chong joined Birmingham City, who are struggling near the bottom of the Championship, on a permanent transfer shortly after that tour of Thailand and Australia, while Garnacho has been able to win Erik ten Hag's trust after an unsatisfactory summer.
After Garnacho made his first start for the club in late October, Ten Hag revealed he 'was not happy' with the player at the start of the season and Bruno Fernandes eventually added in an interview a week later that 'he didn't have the best attitude on tour'.
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It's believed those issues have now been addressed, which has allowed Garnacho to become the club's specialist super-sub this season, but it might be time to hand him a chance for a more prominent role, despite being just 18 years old.
Although there is an aura of confidence and perhaps borderline arrogance about Garnacho, including a feeling that the player believes his own hype at such an early stage of his career, most special players have that personality trait.
Garnacho has made an excellent impression when he's played and staff have been surprised by how easily he's made the transition to the Premier League, as the youngster was playing in the FA Youth Cup for the Under-18s just eight months ago.
In the space of 10 days in November, Garnacho scored the matchwinner against Real Sociedad, recorded two assists against Aston Villa and scored a late, dramatic goal at Craven Cottage just before the World Cup break to secure a 2-1 win versus Fulham.
Ten Hag is handling him carefully and his record at Ajax suggests he's the perfect manager for his long-term development, but there's an argument to be made that Garnacho could have been used more since the return of domestic action.
Since the resumption of football after the World Cup, Garnacho has played just 320 minutes in a month but made just one Premier League start.
That would be an excellent record for an average 18-year-old, but Garnacho is not an ordinary player and, although there is caution at throwing a young player into starting matches too soon, his displays from the bench are electric.
Garnacho replaced Raphael Varane in added time after Eddie Nketiah scored Arsenal's late, winning goal at the Emirates on Sunday evening and Ten Hag was asked why he didn't introduce him to the game sooner after the 3-2 defeat.
"It was the best set-up to win this game and of course we had some considerations to bring players in, especially Garnacho can have an impact," Ten Hag said. "But we need a good press, we conceded two already from a corner, short corners but a lot of crosses there.
"And so I think Wout did a really good job there in the pressing, and in the heading on set plays. So Rashy - you don't want to take him off - with Bruno already we make a tactical [change] and I think almost it came out."
In truth, it is unlikely that Garnacho entering the game earlier would have made a difference against a confident Arsenal team, but he might have offered more than Antony, who started on the right wing, if he'd been named in the starting side.
Ten Hag said United are 'limited offensively' after the Arsenal defeat and Antony, who was signed for £84million in September, needed to hit the ground running this season in terms of goals, assists and impacting games throughout their entirety.
The winger has only been able to produce glimmers of promise instead and Garnacho's substitute appearances suggest he could do better if given the chance, despite the youngster having a preference for playing on the the left wing.
Garnacho has the qualities to play on the right and his direct nature and ability to beat the opposition full-back make him a traditional winger, which is exactly what this side needs, not a player who slows down play and cuts in at every opportunity.
United play Nottingham Forest in the semi-final of the League Cup over two legs and Reading in the FA Cup across the next 10 days and those three fixtures represent the ideal opportunities for Garnacho to be named in the starting team again.
He impressed in the space of 10 days in November and he can do it again in January. If he comes through those tests with flying colours, it might be time to start him in the Premier League over Antony against Crystal Palace on February 4.
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