Manchester United, while discussing fresh terms with some of their most exciting young talent, may find themselves negotiating from a position of new-found strength these days.
While in the recent past some of Carrington’s best and brightest opted to move elsewhere in pursuit of the sort of first-team opportunities they felt were out of reach at Old Trafford – see Largie Ramazani and Angel Gomes, for instance – things are moving in the right direction again for the most iconic academy in English football.
Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, for instance, have barely missed a game in Manchester United colours since November.
Harry Amass, Dan Gore and Zach Baumann have all been handed the chance to showcase their talents while training with Erik ten Hag’s senior squad too, while there has also been debuts handed out to Willy Kambwala and Omari Forson.
So Bendito Mantato, one of the most exciting 16-year-olds in his age group across the UK, has plenty of players to look up to should he opt to sign fresh terms and follow in the footsteps of Mainoo, Garnacho and co.
Manchester United want to keep Bendito Mantato
“Manchester United have offered new deal to 16-year-old winger Bendito Mantato,” Fabrizio Romano writes on his official X account. “Including potential pact for future pro-contract.
“Up to Mantato now. He’s considering the proposal while many important clubs are keen on signing him on a free by paying compensation.”
Mantato, who can play on the right or the left – on the wing or at full-back – has scored six goals in his last three games at youth level.
He hammered four past Blackburn Rovers for United’s U18s and then got on the scoresheet for the U21s. Quite the feat, given that a player who’s speed and versatility has drawn comparisons with Arsenal talisman Bukayo Saka only turned 16 in January.
The Manchester Evening News back up Romano’s claims, meanwhile, insisting that a number of clubs – including Premier League ones – are watching his contract situation closely.
Who will follow in Kobbie Mainoo’s footsteps?
Fellow 16-year-old Shea Lacey is also in talks to sign a new deal with United. The Fletcher brothers, Jack and Tyler, committed their futures to the Old Trafford outfit this week too.
The duo, twin sons of Red Devils icon Darren Fletcher, both crossed the Manchester divide from City last summer and have made a very impressive start to life in red.
“Erik Ten Hag has been watching Jack (Fletcher) closely for several months now and has been really impressed,” wrote The Sun in November. “He thinks he has huge potential which is why he decided to promote him to train with the first team.
“Ten Hag is now working with his staff to put a plan in place to try and develop and fast-track Jack’s progress.
“He is likely to go out on loan next season but Erik believes, in the long term, he has a massive future at United. He’s been wowed by his attitude, and his maturity and – thinks he is the latest in an exciting crop of talent to be coming through at United.”