Manchester United youth to be given run-out on pre-season tour of United States
Tuesday 16 June 2015 16:08, UK
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal will give game time to several young players in the club’s pre-season tour of the United States.
Van Gaal plans on making further additions to his squad, having already bought winger Memphis Depay from PSV Eindhoven, but is also looking for the junior members of the group to stake their claim in the summer.
That should lead to opportunities for the club’s U21 side, which won the Premier League title last term, with players such as striker Ashley Fletcher and midfielder Josh Harrop potentially in the frame.
"I shall take a lot of youngsters with us to the USA," said van Gaal, whose team will play four matches against Club America, San Jose Earthquakes, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain in next month's International Champions Cup.
"They have the chance to show themselves and then we shall wait and observe how they can develop.
"You get your chances always, especially in pre-season and, when you grab that chance, you have maybe the possibility to join us next season."
While United's U21s won their league by four points last season, van Gaal feels it will be a better achievement for one of them to make the grade at first-team level.
"A championship for the second team is fantastic but I think one player every year in the first team as a line-up player is much more important," he said.
