Manchester United have endured something of a rocky period of late, with the club’s eighth-placed Premier League finish last season their worst league performance since the 1989/90 season.
Erik ten Hag was able to end the season on a high - and probably save his job in the process - when he won the FA Cup, but the club is now undergoing a transitional period under minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
There looks to be a shift in transfer policy to younger players in an effort to avoid some of the expensive misfires of recent seasons, but one area where the club will look for continuity is with their academy.
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Manchester United have a remarkable record of featuring at least one academy player in every matchday squad for more than 85 years, a streak totalling more than 4,000 matches.
It’s a record that is unlikely to ever be beaten, with the club still continuing to develop their next generation of homegrown stars at their Carrington academy.
One of the current best prospects is their Under-21s captain Sonny Aljofree and according to Fabrizio Romano, the centre-back is set to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club for another three years.
🚨🔴 Excl: Manchester United U21 captain Sonny Aljofree set to sign new deal at the club.Agreement in place over deal valid until June 2027, three year contract.Talks at final stages for the talented centre back. pic.twitter.com/vQe8nAY9ygAugust 9, 2024
“Agreement in place over deal valid until June 2027, three year contract. Talks at final stages for the talented centre back,” Romano posted on X.
Nineteen-year-old Aljofree was part of the under-18s squad that won the FA Youth Cup in 2022 and has played in the UEFA Youth League, while his Manchester United U21s debut came in January 2023. Earlier this year he was handed the captain’s armband and played 45 minutes for the senior team in their preseason friendly against Rosenborg earlier this summer.
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