EVER since Sir Alex Ferguson retired at the end of the 2012-13 season, Manchester United have been in rebuild mode.
Now on their fourth permanent manager, United have lost their sense of direction thanks to ill-fated stints under David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho.
Current boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is already under pressure after his red-hot start to life at Old Trafford quickly faded.
But if nothing else, he has at least instilled a sense of purpose back into a club previously languishing in a confused state of mediocrity.
The Norwegian is keen to bring in young, homegrown stars in a bid to play passionate, energetic, attacking football.
Down the years, United have relied heavily on their academy products – think the Class of ’92 – but back to the present the club have been forced to look elsewhere, bringing in Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Daniel James this summer.
And it’s hardly a surprise they’ve had to look elsewhere either… Planet Football have taken a look at the last ten academy products handed debuts by Fergie – and it’s mostly difficult reading for United fans.
RYAN TUNNICLIFFE
Man Utd senior debut: Newcastle, September 2012
Where are they now?: Luton
ONE of four players on this list to make their debut in the League Cup against Newcastle at the start of the 2012-13 season – Fergie’s final year in charge – Tunnicliffe has carved out a solid career from himself.
Incredibly, he earned his dad 10,000 – after he bet 100 on his son making the United first-team when he was aged just NINE.
Tunnicliffe managed to make just one more appearance for the Old Trafford first-team though, but has gone on to play for Fulham and Millwall. He’s now at Championship side Luton.
SCOTT WOOTTON
Man Utd senior debut: Newcastle, September 2012
Where are they now?: Plymouth
WOOTTON made just four appearances for United but was shipped off on loan four times – to Tranmere, Peterborough, Nottingham Forest and Posh again.
He eventually left for good, joining Leeds in 2013 but made just 66 appearances in his three seasons at Elland Road, before he joined MK Dons.
Wootton signed for Plymouth in the summer.
ROBBIE BRADY
Man Utd senior debut: Newcastle, September 2012
Where are they now?: Burnley
ONE of the rare hits on this list, Brady also made his debut against the Toon in the now-called Carabao Cup.
While he never quite made the grade at Old Trafford, Brady has enjoyed a successful Premier League career at Hull, Norwich and now Burnley.
Brady has also picked up 45 caps for the Republic of Ireland, scoring eight times.
MARNICK VERMIJL
Man Utd senior debut: Newcastle, September 2012
Where are they now?: MVV Maastricht
THE fourth and final debutant of the Newcastle game, Vermijl failed to make a single appearance after his League Cup run-out.
The defender endured tricky spells at NEC in his native Holland, Sheffield Wednesday and Preston – before joining Dutch second-tier side MVV Maastricht in the summer after being released by the Lilywhites.
WILL KEANE
Man Utd senior debut: Blackburn, December 2011
Where are they now?: Ipswich
BIG things were expected by the striker amongst the Keane brothers – but despite spending five years in and around the first-team squad, Will made just three appearances, failing to score.
Keane spent time on loan at Wigan, QPR, Sheffield Wednesday and Preston, before moving to Hull permanently and later Ipswich after scoring just once in 22 Championship games at the Tigers.
MICHAEL KEANE
Man Utd senior debut: Aldershot, October 2011
Where are they now?: Everton
THE more successful of the brothers, centre-back Michael is a ten-cap England international who’s a key part of the Everton first-team squad.
Keane managed just five appearances at United and was shipped off on loan to Leicester, Derby and Blackburn.
But three successful seasons at Burnley earned him a move to Everton in 2017 where he has gone on to become a near-ever-present for the Toffees.
LARNELL COLE
Man Utd senior debut: Leeds, September 2011
Where are they now?: Free agent
COLE made just one appearance for United in the League Cup game against Leeds – a 3-0 win – with big things expected of him after his breakthrough.
But a move to Fulham failed to reignite his career, playing just once in three years, as he was loaned out to the MK Dons, Shrewsbury and Inverness.
Most-recently, Cole was on the books of Tranmere, but he is now a free agent after he was released in the summer and no club was willing to take a chance on him.
PAUL POGBA
Man Utd senior debut: Leeds, September 2011
Where are they now?: Man Utd
EASILY the best-known of the group, Pogba famously left Man Utd for Juventus in 2012 before rejoining four years later in a then-world-record 89million deal.
While he has failed to win over the passionate United faithful he has shown flashes of brilliance during his time back at Old Trafford, including FA Cup and Europa League trophies.
Pogba was also a huge part of France’s World Cup-winning squad of 2018.
ZEKI FRYERS
Man Utd senior debut: Leeds, September 2011
Where are they now?: Swindon
THE left-back actually made his debut at centre-back in the same Leeds game as Pogba and Cole and helped mastermind a 3-0 win.
But after leaving in 2012, he endured tough spells at Standard Liege, Tottenham and Crystal Palace – where he was loaned out to Rotherham and Ipswich.
Two unsuccessful years at Barnsley followed, before the three-cap England Under-19s international joined League Two side Swindon this summer.
TOM CLEVERLEY
Man Utd senior debut: Manchester City, August 2011
Where are they now?: Watford
AFTER making his debut in a Manchester derby – in the 2011 Community Shield – Cleverley is another who never quite managed to win over Man Utd fans.
The midfielder made 55 Premier League appearances in seven years in the first-team squad – where he was loaned out to Leicester, Watford, Wigan and Aston Villa.
After finally leaving the club permanently, Cleverley played for Everton for two seasons before joining Watford in 2017 – where he still plays today.
