Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has refused to rule out the possibility of Manchester United youngsters Will Fish and Charlie Savage joining the club on loan next season.
McKenna, who left United back in December to take up his first management position, has worked with the duo in recent weeks after they joined the League One club as part of the Reds' 'work experience' scheme. Several youngsters have left Old Trafford in recent months to work with lower-league clubs and discover what it is like to train in a first-team environment on a daily basis.
Although they were not signed by the Tractor Boys, meaning they could not play, Fish and Savage got the chance to train with seasoned, experienced players and gain an understanding of what life is like away from one of the Premier League's elite. Other clubs have had United players on 'work experience' this season, including fellow League One side Sheffield Wednesday, who opened their doors to Charlie McNeill and Dillon Hoogewerf.
READ MORE: Manchester United have Ajax blueprint to follow with Alejandro Garnacho
Considering McKenna, of course, has strong ties with United after working at the club for more than five years and being former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's assistant for three of them, it will stand Ipswich in good stead to borrow players from Old Trafford in the future. And he has already refused to rule out the prospect of signing Fish and Savage on loan deals.
McKenna, as quoted by the East Anglian Daily Times, said: "Maybe two weeks ago we had the two boys, Fish and Savage, training with us. It's a project that Man United have done for a little while now.
"I think it's a really good project. It gives players in that type of bracket some experience before they go out on loan at some stage in the near future. It gets them used to a few of the things that entails.
"It was good for the boys to come down here from their point of view and it was good for us to have them competing and training in our group. I think it's a really important relationship for us to keep developing."
Asked if either player could return to Portman Road, McKenna added: "I think they are part of a very big group of boys who could come on loan. I won't go into the two players individually, but I know them both well.
"They are both very young and early in their careers. I think it's not our decision, it's their decision and the club's decision on what their next steps will be in their careers.
"We'll leave that for now to the boys themselves and to Manchester United."
Fish has spent time away from Old Trafford on loan once before, joining Stockport County last summer on a season-long loan deal, but it was cut short in January. Savage, meanwhile, has never been sent out on loan by United, but has earned his debut for the club, stepping off the bench in a 1-1 draw against BSC Young Boys in the Champions League back in December.
Sign up to our United newsletter so you never miss an update from Old Trafford this season.
