Manchester United’s u18s clinched the Premier League North title in recent weeks and take on Chelsea, winners of the Premier League South, tonight in the national final.
Coincidentally, the last Manchester United side to win the u18s Premier League North title in the 2017-18 campaign also came up against Chelsea in the national finals.
Unfortunately, on that occasion, Chelsea came out 3-0 winners at Leigh Sports Village. This year the final takes place at Stamford Bridge, where United will be looking to reverse the result to solidify themselves as national champions.
Also lifting the Premier League Cup this season for the first time in club history, fans have been clamouring over the prospect of this group of u18s stepping up to the first team.
Taking a look back at United’s last u18s champions, we can see what can be expected from a highly talented group of u18s.
Below we look at how the careers of the 2017-18 United players have panned out in order of their appearances during the title-winning campaign.
James Garner
Needing little introduction, Garner is one of the bigger names to come from the group and is now plying his trade at Everton having left United in 2022 in a deal that could rise to £15 million.
Making seven appearances for United’s first team, the midfielder was never handed a real opportunity at Old Trafford following some impressive loan spells but has now fully made himself a key figure at Everton and lifted the u21s Euros trophy with England last summer where he was also named in the team of the tournament.
Lee O’Connor
An exceptional player at youth level, O’Connor’s career hasn’t quite panned out how he’d have expected but he has made a home for himself at Tranmere Rovers in League Two, where he has over 160 appearances.
Making his international senior debut at just 19, he has yet to make another appearance for Ireland’s senior side but holds the record for the most youth appearances for Ireland at all levels with a combined 78 appearances.
Hampered by his own versatility, O’Connor spent much of his time at United at centre-back where he captained United’s u18s. But his small stature has meant he has often moved around between right back and midfield at senior level.
Dylan Levitt
Another who made his senior international debut at 19, before playing senior football at the club level, the Welsh midfielder has been capped 13 times for his country.
Now playing for Hibernian, Levitt initially struggled with loan spells before impressing for Dundee United and eventually moving to Hibernian where he has made 34 appearances this season.
Brandon Williams
One of only two players from the group to still be on the books of Manchester United, Williams has spent the season on loan at Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town who have won promotion to the Premier League.
Making 51 appearances for United’s first team, Williams fell out of favour at United and has since had loans to Norwich and currently Ipswich. The fullback’s time at United is set to come to an end soon though as he is expected to be released in the summer.
Alex Fojticek
Departing United in 2020, Fojticek initially went to Blackpool before returning to Slovakia where he acts as the backup keeper for second-division side Tatran Presov.
George Tanner
A bit of an unsung hero during his time in United’s academy, an unspectacular but dependable right back.
Tanner initially had to drop down to League Two to kickstart his senior career but quickly worked his way back up to the Championship with Bristol City where he made 43 appearances this season.
Ethan Laird
One of the big stars of this age group, Laird was highly touted as one to make it into United’s senior side but a string of injuries saw him never find the right timing to get a chance.
After a series of successful loan spells, United sold Laird in 2023 for £750,000 plus add-ons and a sell-on clause. Still struggling with injuries, Laird made 26 appearances for Birmingham as they were relegated from the Championship this season but did impress with his performances while fit.
Nishan Burkart
Scoring the second most goals for United’s u18s in the league-winning campaign, Burkart soon left United for SC Freiburg in Germany but couldn’t make the breakthrough into their first team.
Burkart is now with FC Winterthur in the Swiss Super League where he scored 10 goals in all competitions this season.
Mason Greenwood
The clear standout talent of the group, Greenwood scored 16 goals in 19 appearances for the u18s that season.
After initially taking the first team by storm, Greenwood scored 35 goals for United in 129 appearances but has since been loaned to Getafe after off-field issues.
With 10 goals this season in Spain, Greenwood is expected to depart United permanently in the summer.
Max Taylor
Making 15 appearances for United’s u18s in the title-winning season, Taylor’s celebrations were unfortunately short-lived as he was diagnosed with testicular cancer shortly after the end of the season.
Fortunately, Taylor made a full recovery and a little over a year later featured in a senior match day squad for Manchester United but did not make it off the bench.
Taylor is currently without a club having been released by Rochdale at the end of the current season.
Aidan Barlow
A goalscoring midfielder Barlow scored a number of important goals for United’s u18s but has struggled since his step up to senior football. Barlow is now without a club after the expiry of his contract with Eastleigh where he scored 1 goal in 19 appearances.
Millen Baars
Originally signed from Ajax, Baars returned to the Netherlands after three years in United’s academy to AZ Alkmaar. After two years with AZ’s u21s, Baars was released in 2021 and has been without a club since.
D’Mani Mellor
After the expiry of his contract with United in 2022, Mellor signed a two-year deal with Wycombe Wanderers but spent the majority of his time on loan at Rochdale and Sutton United. Wycombe have confirmed that Mellor will be released upon the expiry of his contract this summer.
Ethan Galbraith
Another to make his senior international debut before featuring at club level. He eventually made a two-minute cameo for the first team in the Europa League before two successful loans with Doncaster Rovers and Salford City which led to a permanent move to Leyton Orient in 2023.
A classy midfielder in United’s academy, he has used his versatility to play a variety of positions for Leyton Orient in League One this season, making 45 appearances in all competitions. His performances earned him the Manager’s Player of the Year award which was given by another former United academy graduate, Richie Wellens.
Ethan Galbraith wins Manager’s player of the season! 👏#LOFC #OneOrient pic.twitter.com/f6TvZz9pfy
— Leyton Orient FC (@leytonorientfc) April 28, 2024
Arnau Puigmal
One of a number of the group to play top-flight football since his departure, Puigmal turned down a contract offer from United to force a move to UD Almeria in 2021.
Playing a key part in their promotion to La Liga, Puigmal found himself reduced to a squad role in the top flight and went on loan to Elche CF in January in Segunda Divison in search of more playing time.
Tahith Chong
The winner of the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in the 2017/18 season, he was one of the stars of his age group.
Making 16 appearances for United’s first team, Chong didn’t quite make the grade but is carving out a good career for himself in the Premier League at Luton Town where he made 37 appearances this season, scoring five goals.
Largie Ramazani
A teammate of Puigmal, Ramazani also joined UD Almeria on a free transfer. Making a bigger impact though, the young Belgian has solidified his spot in the Spanish club’s side making 127 appearances in four seasons.
He has played 31 times this season and scored four goals and five assists, including a goal against Real Madrid. With Almeria set to be relegated, he has been linked with a move to stay in top-flight football.
Jake Barrett
One of the lesser-known names of the group, Barrett played seven times for United u18s in the league-winning campaign but actually departed to join Huddersfield’s u21s before the end of the season.
Since then, Barrett accepted a scholarship to play university soccer in the States before returning to England where he currently plays non-league football with Golcar United in the 9th tier.
Matej Kovar
A young keeper making a name for himself as part of Xabi Alonso’s remarkable Bayer Leverkusen side.
Having never made his United debut, Kovar was sold last summer for a transfer fee of up to £7.7 million. Having won the Czech league last season and being named keeper of the league while at Sparta Prague, Kovar has kept the winning touch by lifting the Bundesliga title this year.
But with only one Bundesliga appearance to his name, it is the cup competitions that he has been making his marking, starting in all but one match as Leverkusen have qualified for the finals of both the DFB Pokal and Europa League, giving Kovar the chance to win a remarkable treble.
Angel Gomes
A superstar in the United academy, Gomes continues to be a joy to watch with his silky football. Making his United debut at just 16, he went on to only make 10 appearances in total before forcing his way out to join French side Lille.
At his new club, he has often played in a deeper midfield where he has thrived dictating the play. With 113 appearances in three seasons, Gomes has been a key figure in Lille’s current race for a Champions League place and has been garnering attention from other big clubs such as Tottenham.
He was also a part of the England u21s who won the European Championship last summer alongside James Garner.
Di’Shon Bernard
Another who departed United on a free transfer. He is a good example of where United have failed to capitalise on selling good prospects in the past.
Since departing, he has become a full international for Jamaica and made 36 appearances for Championship side Sheffield Wednesday.
Dion McGhee
Without a club since 2022, McGhee took the leap to go to Portugal in 2021 but was released by SC Braga after a year and has been without a club since.
Luca Ercolani
Ercolani left United in 2021 to return to his native Italy where he has excelled in the lower leagues, most recently with Foggia in Serie C having joined in January.
He is excelling off the pitch as well, having completed his degree in food science and gastronomy in March of this year.
Aliou Traore
Departing United in 2021, Traore initially struggled to make a mark in Italy at both Parma and Frosinone but he has since found his feet in the second tier of Turkish football with Ankara Keçiörengücü S.K. where he has scored six goals in 31 appearances this season.
Teden Mengi
Still an u16 at the time, Mengi only made two appearances for United’s u18s in that campaign but his early involvement was a sign of his talent.
Since then, injuries have been Mengi’s biggest weakness but he has steered clear of them this season to earn plaudits for his 36 appearances for Luton Town. With Luton set for relegation, don’t be surprised to see Mengi make a move to remain in the top flight.
Theo Richardson
Since leaving, Richardson has plied his trade in non-league, most recently earning the number one spot for Fylde in the National League.
Perhaps more interestingly, is the fact Richardson has created his own goalkeeping glove brand with his brother.
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