No conversation about the game’s greatest developers of young talent is complete without a mention of Manchester United.
Even during trying times at Old Trafford, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo have both exploded onto the scene, making up two-fifths of those annual Kopa Trophy nominees.
The extremely highly-regarded Toby Collyer, meanwhile, became the 251st academy graduate to make his Manchester United debut earlier this season.
If you were to rank the most prosperous youth systems in European football, Carrington would surely deserve a place on the podium alongside Barcelona’s La Masia and perhaps the Sporting Lisbon academy that gave the world, amongst others, Nani and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Meanwhile, Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg are climbing the ladder. And fast.
Manchester United scout Samson Baidoo and Oscar Gloukh
Red Bull Salzburg tend to hoover up the best under-the-radar talent from lesser clubs rather than develop them from the ground up in-house, Erling Haaland, Sadio Mane, Dayot Upamecano, Dominik Szoboszlai and former Man United loanee Marcel Sabitzer, to name but a few.
Salzburg might have found the going a little tougher recently – then ten-year spell of dominance in the Austrian Bundesliga was snapped by Sturm Graz last season – but the Red Bull Arena is still home to some of the best up-and-comers on the continent.
Take Samson Baidoo, for instance.
Wearing the number six shirt and capped once by Austria already, 20-year-old Baidoo is perhaps the jewell in the current Red Bull crown.
Fussball News say that Manchester United also had scouts in attendance as Salzburg took on Sparta Prague in Wednesday’s Champions League opener.
In addition to Baidoo, the report claims that United are also keeping tabs on Israeli wonderkid Oscar Gloukh.
Red Bull Salzburg starlets watched by the Red Devils
Both players fit into Ineos’ desire to make Old Trafford the place to be for football’s next generation of superstars. Man United have already signed teenagers Leny Yoro, Samuel Lusale, James Overy and Sekou Kone, while they are also closing in on a deal for ex-Arsenal wonderkid Chido Obi-Martin.
United are also expected to make a move for Rosenborg’s Sverre Nypan when he turns 18 in December.
Baidoo, a wonderfully self-confident, ball-playing centre-half, would fit in very nicely indeed into Erik ten Hag’s tactical plans. Fellow 20-year-old Gloukh, meanwhile, was tipped to reach the very top of the game when at Maccabi Haifa.
Enrolling in Salzburg’s esteemed finishing school is clearly doing to mesmerising attacking midfielder – a potential long-term Bruno Fernandes or Christian Eriksen replacement – no harm at all.
“The greatest talent of Israeli football today is, of course, Oscar Gloukh,” former Maccabi Haifa coach Luis Vicente Matteo told Sport5.
“He is not only one of the greatest talents in Israel, he is one of the greatest talents in Europe.”
Gloukh – who has been linked with United before – struggled to make an impression as Salzburg lost 3-0 to Sparta in the Czech Republic. Centre-half Baidoo was at least blameless for that defensive aberration, watching on helplessly from the bench.
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