Manchester United wonderkid Shea Lacey is in line to make his senior debut in the coming weeks after impressing Ruben Amorim, with the teen also receiving praise from Wayne Rooney
Shea Lacey is already training with Manchester United(Image: Ash Donelon, Manchester United via Getty Images)
Manchester United wonderkid Shea Lacey is poised to make his mark on the first team in the coming weeks. Amad and Bryan Mbeumo will soon jet off for the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning opportunities are up for grabs.
Ruben Amorim is keen to bolster his attacking line-up, and the 18-year-old winger could make his senior debut for the club he has supported since childhood. Even before he started knocking on the door of the first team, Lacey had already amassed a significant following on social media.
As he ascended through the academy ranks, his performances caught the eye of many online, with clips of his standout moments frequently going viral. Lacey, who once outshone Lamine Yamal to clinch a player of the tournament award in his youth, got his first taste of senior football over the summer.
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He joined Amorim’s squad for a post-season tour of Asia, impressing enough to earn a spot in the United pre-season squad. His progress has reportedly excited many within the club.
As the new Premier League season kicked off, Lacey returned to the Under-21s, where he has since netted three goals and provided two assists in nine outings. With Mbeumo and Amad due to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations next month, a senior debut for the youngster is on the horizon.
Amorim may even include Lacey in the United squad for Monday night’s showdown with Everton at Old Trafford. The Portuguese boss has previously voiced his belief in the teenager, stating he’s ready to ‘step up’.
Looking ahead to the Reds’ meeting with David Moyes’ team, Amorim addressed how he plans to cope with the loss of Amad and Mbeumo over the coming weeks. He said: “I think it is going to be hard, but then, that is the good thing of the experience.
“We lived so many limitations last year. We changed in January, and we didn’t bring the players, then we had the injury of Amad for four months, all these things. We are prepared for that. It will be hard for us, but we have different baggage to deal with that.
“Guys like Jack Fletcher, Shea [Lacey], they can step up. We can send, at the same time, a message to everyone here in the academy that this is the future. But we are going to struggle, and we have to be prepared for that.”
Shea Lacey has impressed for the under-21s(Image: Photo by Poppy Townson – MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Speaking about the academy setup, Amorim continued: “First of all, I’m not preparing the academy; they are preparing the academy. We are paying more attention to them; we are talking with them. That is so important to change information about the players, what they need, and how they behave.
“To call a kid for the first team, they need to behave really well. This connection is really important. We are trying to do that. We are putting everything in place; nutrition is for the academy, and it starts now. In our club, that is something that should be basic.
“So, all these things we are doing, and they are doing their job. I have more time with them in training, so I’m more confident with them. When we put these kids to play in the Premier League, they will struggle, but they will struggle less, I think. Everyone in the Academy is doing very well in the moment.”
Lacey has the same talent management agency that represents Wayne Rooney. And the United legend is more than aware of the teenager’s potential, having called him earlier this year to say: “You’re doing brilliant, keep doing what you’re doing.”
The teenager has trained with England at St. George’s Park this autumn. When pressed on Lacey’s development, Amorim claimed he is delighted with his progress.
“I’m really happy with him, I think he struggled a little bit with injuries,” said the United boss. “He did a very good job balancing his body. You can sense he can manage more load during training.
“He has a lot of talent, but when they come here, they can sense the speed is completely different, so they need to spend more time with us to be prepared because our training sessions are hard, but Premier League games with pressure are harder, so they need to be ready.”
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