Manchester United have a deep roster of talented youngsters across various positions, but only one has been playing in the U20 World Cup this autumn.
When Sir Jim Ratcliffe said he wanted to sign the ‘next Mbappe’, it was a clear message to the recruitment team at Manchester United that youngsters were the order of the new regime.
Since then, Christopher Vivell and Jason Wilcox have collectively made several deals in that spirit, adding talented wonderkids to the mix of an already flourishing academy.
Most recently, United signed Cristian Orozco from Fortaleza in Colombia for a reported fee of £750,000, a defensive midfielder who might be a long-term replacement for Casemiro.
However, right now, it is a 2024 signing who is showing glimpses of the quality he has.
James Overy shining for Australia at U20 World Cup
Back in the summer of 2024, United signed Australian youngster James Overy, with the full-back having departed his former club, Perth Glory.
Overy had a difficult adjustment period at United in his first season at the club, dealing with injuries, but the quality was undeniable.
Last month, Overy was named in Australia’s U20 World Cup squad, with the tournament seeing him not feature in the first game to some disappointment. However, Overy played the entire 90 minutes against Argentina and earned himself a start against Cuba.
In the game, Australia triumphed 3-1, and Overy played a key role as he brilliantly assisted one of the goals.
From a right-back position, Overy carried the ball inward before poking a through-ball into the perfect spot for his teammate to finish.
Despite the win, Australia has finished third in their group and therefore will have to hope they are one of the best-placed third-place teams to progress.
James Overy has potential as a wing-back in Ruben Amorim’s system
When signed, Overy was considered among the best players in the world for his age bracket, and there have been signs of this ability at United.
Overy scored a great goal for United U18 last season, demonstrating his attacking threat, while his technical ability in passing, vision, and crossing is all very impressive.
Additionally, despite his injuries, Overy is impressive physically with powerful running and deceptive speed.
Overy was in first team training under Amorim last season, and with more performances like he is showing for Australia and we expect he will soon return.
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