Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has blocked plans to send a host of Manchester United’s most promising starlets on loan this month.
The Norwegian is determined to provide a pathway to highly-rated prospects Tahith Chong, Angel Gomes, Mason Greenwood and James Garner before the end of the season.
He has already handed Chong his first team debut and given minutes to Gomes in just seven games as interim manager. Striker Greenwood is generating tremendous excitement among fans for his performances at youth level, while Garner is considered future captain material.
Solskjaer is keen to involve both in his first team plans – leading United to shelve a loan move, which has been proposed for the January window.
Academy director Nicky Butt confirmed: “Plans change. A new manager comes in and he has a say. I think he’s got a massive say in what happens.
“What we had previously was plans to get two or three of them out on loan because there wasn’t looking likely to be a chance for them to go up.
“So, the natural thing is not to sit about playing reserves team football for too long - go out on loan and experience men’s football.
“The dynamics have changed now because the two or three lads that were going to go out on loan are now being involved in the training camps, involved in training, on the bench, in the squad.”
Solskjaer has taken an active interest in academy matters since taking over from Jose Mourinho before Christmas. Despite being appointed on a strictly interim basis it’s been noted within the club how eager he is to help with the development of young talent.
Butt added: “The dynamics have totally changed. So it’s now another conversation with the boys, their parents and the agents and seeing what is best for them lads.
“It might be stay around now and take your chance if it is given.
“It’s all good for me saying ‘go out and do men’s football,’ but you’ve got to look at Marcus Rashford. He had one chance of sitting on the bench and he becomes a superstar from taking that chance. It’s a really tricky one now so more discussions.”
Butt, who was speaking as Salford City announced David Beckham as its latest shareholder, has given an insight into Solskjaer’s first weeks in the job.
“He’s come in and, Ole being Ole, he has brought a smile with him,” he said. “He knows the club, which is massively important for me, and what he’s done is come here and just said to everybody “go and enjoy playing for Man United, go and be the luckiest boys on the planet to go and play on that pitch.
“He felt like that when he was a player and he’s trying to introduce that to the players now and it’s worked.
“But he’s also got a little bit of a ruthless streak. I don’t think you can be as successful as Ole Gunnar if you’ve not got that. He had a dream to become a football manager after his playing career and he worked hard at it.
“This opportunity has come and I know he’s delighted to have that. I spoke to him on many occasions and I also know that he’s going to take it with both hands and try and grab hold of that for as long as he can and hopefully it’ll be a long, long time.”
Beckham – who is already part-owner of MLS franchise Inter Miami - has joined his fellow Class of 92 teammates by buying a 10 percent stake in National League side Salford City.
Gary Neville said: “Salford came out of a commitment from us to do things together, to try to wherever possible have an impact and our playing careers together were so successful that we grew so close with one another and it was conversations we all had five or six years ago that we were going to look into club ownership.
“David was initially asked to come in as we all discussed it four, five years ago but because of timing and the project in Miami, which he has alluded to, it wasn’t possible - but that situation has now been resolved.”
