Alejandro Garnacho paraded a cake in the shape of a football shirt with the No.7 emblazoned on the back of it to celebrate a social media milestone last month. It's the closest he'll come to wearing the number for at least another year.
United had considered the 18-year-old a candidate to don the club's most iconic shirt number next season, and even last week supporters were unable to purchase a new home shirt with 'Garnacho 49' printed on it ahead of an expected change.
Instead, it is summer signing Mason Mount who must deal with the pressure of occupying the number that Cristiano Ronaldo vacated in November.
Mount revealed how talks with Erik ten Hag persuaded him that a move to United was the right next step to take in his career, the fact he had been offered the No.7 shirt certainly sweetened the deal and proved just how much his new manager wanted him.
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The 24-year-old isn't here to make up the numbers though. It is clear he has a key role to play next season, and while he will need to work hard to justify a regular starting role, it certainly seems the plan is for him to be playing most weeks.
Garnacho's hopes of donning his dream squad number might be dashed for now, but rather than feel sorry for himself, this should serve as the extra motivation he needs to prove he is worthy of wearing it one day.
For many supporters, he seemed the most obvious choice to take it this summer. Like previous greats to wear the shirt, he is an unpredictable maverick on the pitch, capable of changing matches in the blink of an eye and getting fans off their seats.
There are faint echoes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Eric Cantona in his combination of ability and justified self-belief, but then again, there was with Memphis Depay when he was given the number eight years ago.
Garnacho is still an incredibly raw talent who has made just 30 appearances for the club and while it is tempting to get caught up in the excitement, right now the focus has to be on his development rather than any needless distractions along the way.
See, the thing that has some many people excited about the Argentine teenager is the massive potential he has. But that's the point, it is still only potential.
What he has done so far in his career will count for nothing if he doesn't continue to develop and Garnacho will need to cope with the increased expectations that follow him as he gets older.
Even now, many of his mistakes are, rightfully, overlooked and excused as part of the wider learning curve. That won't be the case in a few years' time, and such expectation would have been accelerated even further if he was wearing the club's most famous number.
In contrast, Mount is someone who has dealt with that pressure and proven himself on a more consistent basis at the highest levels. He might not be as fancy as Garnacho, but he certainly boasts the better track record and should be able to deal with the weight of expectation on his shoulder.
The task now is for Garnacho to channel any injustice he feels and use it as motivation to take his game to the next level by finding the consistency that has so far been missing from his game.
He has all the makings of being a great No.7 in the future, but right now there is plenty of work still to be done before he ever thinks of making it a reality.
It's time to have his cake and eat it.
