It's been a slow burn of a pre-season for Alejandro Garnacho, but the Manchester United starlet played like he was determined to make up for lost time against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
The 18-year-old clocked up more than 21,000 air miles on the club's pre-season tour of Thailand and Australia without kicking a ball in a match situation.
With Erik ten Hag using pre-season to build a team ready to compete in his ethos on the opening day this weekend, some of the youngsters have had to take a back seat this summer, but of the 27 outfield players that travelled on tour, Garnacho was the only one not to feature.
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The teenager impressed in training in Bangkok, Melbourne and Perth, but had to twiddle his thumbs come matchday. The sight of Tahith Chong getting game time ahead of him was a surprise, given the Dutch winger turns 23 in December and time must surely be up on his United career.
Garnacho's is only just getting going, however, and as he showed on Sunday against La Liga opposition, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about his talent.
"We want to give the young players who deserve a chance the opportunity to play. He [Garnacho] showed himself during pre-season and that’s why he played. He played pretty well and his performance was really good," Ten Hag told MUTV after the match.
Garnacho started on the left wing against Rayo Vallecano and was threatening throughout. His performances in the FA Youth Cup caught the eye last season and he appeared in two of the final three Premier League games.
He's also trained with the senior Argentina side and with Ten Hag proving at Ajax that he's willing to back youth, he can expect to be a regular first-team squad member when it comes to training at Carrington this season.
United are unlikely to sanction a loan for Garnacho, with most top clubs preferring to keep the development of their very best youngsters in-house these days, and the winger could get game time this season.
There are six Europa League group stage fixtures before the break for the World Cup, a Carabao Cup game and 16 rounds of Premier League fixtures. Garnacho could be involved in European competition and might get a chance in the Carabao Cup, but the Premier League could also offer an opportunity to youngsters this season.
The decision to permanently allow five substitutes, from a total of nine replacements being made, should give clubs greater freedom to include some of their more talented youngsters on the bench.
Garnacho certainly feels like a potential beneficiary at Old Trafford. Ten Hag could name eight senior subs and then include the Argentine on the bench, not only will he be getting regular matchday exposure, but there will be occasions where he can get game time, coming on when United are in a commanding position.
That opportunity to feature in the Premier League for his parent club has to be worth more than a loan spell elsewhere, particularly if it meant going abroad.
Crucially, it also allows Garnacho to spend every day training at Carrington, not only learning from the established internationals around him, but developing his game under the tutelage of Ten Hag. United see the Dutchman as a long-term appointment and the chance to mould Garnacho in the early stages of his development could be too good an opportunity to miss.
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