Manchester United’s Regret Over Alvaro Carreras: A Lesson in Youth Development

Manchester United bid farewell to Alvaro Carreras in 2024, allowing the promising young left-back to sign a permanent deal with Benfica after he appeared to fall short of expectations at Old Trafford. Fast forward a year, and Carreras has secured a transfer to La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid for €50 million (£43 million/$58 million) on a six-year contract.

United has received a substantial portion of the transfer fee but has been criticized for their decision to sell the defender, with some calling it a “huge mistake.” Former United scout Sadowski shared his thoughts with Przeglad Sportowy, stating, “He joined Manchester United at the age of 16 in 2020. A hardworking and ambitious individual, he quickly adapted to the language—I know this from personal interactions. Initially, his career trajectory looked promising. He was loaned to Preston, where he received favorable reviews, yet United ultimately decided to sell him to Benfica at a minimal fee.

“Carreras is an exceptional talent. There is a strong possibility that he will become one of the finest left-backs in the world. He even scored a stunning goal against Valencia in La Liga recently. United’s decision to let him go was a major error. I believe the core issue lies with United’s hesitance to invest in young talent.”

Amid these concerns, Kobbie Mainoo could be the next academy player to depart, as the midfielder is currently out of favor under manager Ruben Amorim and is rumored to be leaving.

Amorim has made several acquisitions, bringing in players like Patrick Dorgu, Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo. Sadowski expressed that the United boss seems reluctant to place faith in youth players at this stage. “Having recently worked at Blackburn Rovers with a much smaller transfer budget, I could easily find several players of Dorgu’s caliber for United. For £25 million, you could secure four capable players,” he commented.

“Currently, United is cautious about integrating young talent into the squad. Amorim was expected to usher in this change, but disappointing results have led him to prefer established players instead.”

Despite a challenging start at Manchester United, Amorim is now on a five-match unbeaten streak with the Red Devils. He will aim to maintain this momentum after the international break, with their next fixture scheduled for Monday, November 24, at home against Everton.