Manchester United will step up their pre-season preparations on Monday, facing Rosenborg in their opening friendly of the summer.
United, for the second year season running, will open their pre-season account with a trip to Norway after beating Leeds United 2-0 on Scandinavian soil 12 months ago. The Reds will then return to Manchester before travelling north to face Rangers in Edinburgh five days later.
United will be without some of their most senior and polished starts for the upcoming contests, impacted by the European Championship and the Copa America. Those who have featured at either tournament are entitled three weeks off.
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It means, just like last year, manager Erik ten Hag is expected to assemble squads that feature a blend of both youth and experience. The Dutchman went with a mixture for the first half against Leeds last year before fielding a very youthful XI after the break.
Pre-season represents an opportunity for every manager to evaluate their respective squad and it will be no different for Ten Hag. However, there will be some players that will be more eager to impress him than others, whether it be to win a first-team place or force the club to think twice about potentially letting them go.
With that said, MEN Sport has picked out four players who will be determined to make their mark next week and prove to Ten Hag they have a part to play ahead of the coming season.
Harry Amass
With Luke Shaw advancing to the European Championship final with England and Tyrell Malacia still unavailable through injury, opportunity potentially knocks for Amass. The young left-back, 17, was invited to train with the first-team on several occasions towards the end of last season and made the bench seven times.
Despite his youthfulness, the former Watford man is considered as one of the most exciting talents in United’s academy. He excelled for the Under-18s last term, resulting in Ten Hag getting a closer look at him in first-team training.
Facing a left-back shortage, Ten Hag may not think twice about awarding Amass some minutes in the coming weeks, either as a starter or via the bench. Both Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have demonstrated they can play at left-back, but the former is among those who is now enjoying a period of relaxation after European Championship involvement.
Antony
Will it be third time lucky for the Brazilian? His first two seasons at Old Trafford were so uninspiring that a lot of United fans would vote for him to be sold this summer.
However, a cluster of factors mean that is highly unlikely, meaning he is set to get another season to prove his worth. He has not got anywhere close to repaying United for the £85.5million they splashed out on him nearly two years ago and patience among supporters have all but run out.
But for those who are still clinging onto even just the tiniest bit of hope, a second pre-season at United could be paramount to his hopes of making a name for himself. However, all of the pressure is on him to prove his doubters wrong and try and wrestle back a starting place.
Amad
Amad’s last pre-season campaign at United was cut short due to a knee injury, ruling him out until December. He was forced to play a waiting game after returning to full fitness but eventually demonstrated that he could have a part to play at Old Trafford.
He was one of United’s best players towards the end of the season, offering hope that he could get a meaningful chance as a regular starter this season. But with Antony and Alejandro Garnacho rivalling him for the same position, he will be determined to make his mark over the coming weeks, particularly with Garnacho still on international duty with Argentina.
If the former Sunderland loanee makes his mark and enjoys a successful pre-season campaign, he could head into the competitive action in a strong position in the pecking order. His mission should be to cement himself as a regular in Ten Hag’s plans.
Ethan Wheatley
Denmark exited the European Championship at the last-16 stage, meaning it is not impossible that Rasmus Hojlund may link up with his United teammates in the United States for the pre-season tour later this month. Against Rosenborg and Rangers, however, United will be a striker light.
In his absence, the responsibility of leading the attack could fall to Wheatley, who became the 250th academy graduate to debut for the first-team in April, stepping off the bench against Sheffield United at Old Trafford. The 18-year-old is highly-rated by Ten Hag after a fruitful season for the Under-18s last term.
It is no secret United want to add another striker to their ranks this summer, but the prospect of Wheatley being handed some audition time will do his development no harm. He could be one to watch over the next couple of weeks or so.