NEXT PHIL FODEN: SHEA LACEY JOINS SQUAD; RUBEN AMORIM STARTS PLAN
Man Utd teenager Shea Lacey is set for his first senior matchday squad call-up against Everton. With Amad & Mbeumo leaving for AFCON, coach Ruben Amorim is turning to the highly-rated 18-year-old academy prodigy.
Word is Manchester United might include academy star Shea Lacey in their squad for Monday's game against Everton.
With Amad and Bryan Mbeumo heading to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), coach Ruben Amorim seems eager to give the young player a chance. He might see tonight's match as a good time to start that process. The 18-year-old is seen as a player with a huge amount of potential.
Lacey has impressed fans for the last few years with his great play in the academy. Since the 2022/2023 season, he's been a regular for the Under-18s. This season, he's moved up to the Under-21s, helping them in Premier League 2. He usually plays as a right winger, and his strong left foot lets him cut inside and cause problems for defenders.
That skill could be useful in one of the 'two 10' roles in Amorim's preferred system. But he can also play on the left side or as an attacking midfielder.
With three goals and two assists for the Under-21s this season, Lacey can keep improving and maybe become a regular in the first team. That chance to impress might come soon.
MUFC Academy mentioned on social media that the teenager might be in the squad for Monday's game against Everton. If Amorim picks him, it would be the first time the young player is in the senior team's squad, as he aims to make it into the starting eleven.
With AFCON starting in late December, the coach has less than a month to think about replacements for important players like Amad and Mbeumo. Some thought the January transfer window could bring in new players for those positions, but the club's coach has said he'll look to the academy for support instead.
Amorim said, "It is a worry, but we knew about it." Other players have a chance. We also have the Under-21s.
We need to send a message then, so we will see. It's not ideal because they're important to our team, and our squad isn't big. But our academy is there for these times, so they'll be ready.
It's not clear how big an impact Lacey will have while those key players are gone, but his skill has definitely been noticed. Lee Carsley, who is in charge of the England Under-21s, has been watching the United prospect closely. Lacey has already played for England at the Under-20 level.
The coach spoke highly of the young forward in an interview with The Daily Mail, saying, "He's been in the system for a while now, and we think he's a very good player." It worked out well that we needed someone in that position for our training, and Shea was happy to train with the Under-21s.
You can tell he's talented. I know he's had some injuries, which might have slowed his progress. But I think it's important not to rush young players; let them grow at their own pace. He trained with us for two sessions, and I enjoyed having him.
INSIDE SENNE LAMMENS’ BLUEPRINT FOR MAN UNITED’S MASSIVE 2026 SUMMER TRANSFER OVERHAUL
"We want to be stronger." Read Senne Lammens' honest assessment of Manchester United’s squad needs after the Sunderland draw.
Senne Lammens isn’t hiding from the truth; he knows Manchester United have to beef up their squad this summer if they want to handle both the Premier League and Champions League next season.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Sunderland showed just how thin United are right now. Casemiro, Benjamin Sesko, and Manuel Ugarte all sat out with injuries, and you could feel their absence on the pitch.
It’s been a weird season for United. They played just 40 games, the fewest in over a century, because they were eliminated from Europe and both domestic cups so early. But now they’re back in the Champions League, and Lammens realises the team has to get deeper if they want to compete seriously.
“Yeah, definitely. This league’s tough, and next year’s schedule is going to be insane,” the goalkeeper said. “You want to have enough reliable players, people who can step up whenever they’re needed.”
Lammens made it clear that United must invest in new signings during the summer window. He’s not saying the squad lacks quality now, but he knows things will get tougher. “Honestly, I think we’ve got a lot of talent this year,” he said. “But next season’s going to ask a lot more from us, and you need to be ready for injuries and everything that can come with a busy year like today, when we missed a few regular starters. Being able to call on others to jump in really matters.”
He wants a strong, well-rounded group ready for the challenges ahead. “We’re already building towards that, but we want to be even stronger for next season.”
Some people wondered if United relaxed after they clinched their Champions League spot by beating Liverpool last weekend. Lammens brushed that idea off. He said head coach Michael Carrick was all over them, reminding everyone to finish the season on a high.
“I don’t think so, not for me at least,” Lammens said. “The manager made it clear that these last games are important. We want as many points as we can get and to finish as high as possible. How you end the season carries over. It’s your launchpad for next year. We want to keep the momentum going.”
He didn’t want to hear any excuses. “Honestly, if we’d played at Sunderland a few weeks ago before securing the Champions League, it still would’ve been tough. That wasn’t in our minds.”
Carrick echoed those thoughts after the match. He sounded almost annoyed when asked if the players were mentally on holiday already.
“I get almost offended by that,” he said. “The way the players prepared and battled out there, it’s clear they’re still focused. If we’d been off it, we’d have lost. Sunderland pushed us hard at times.”
He thinks the pride and responsibility of playing for Manchester United is all the motivation the team needs. “That’s what keeps us sharp, knowing we represent something big. That doesn’t guarantee we’ll always play brilliantly, but it’s enough to fight through tough days.”
MANCHESTER UNITED HOLD ADVANCED NEGOTIATIONS FOR RECORD-BREAKING £18M BETWAY SPONSORSHIP
Despite the upcoming front-of-shirt gambling ban, explore how Man United’s Betway deal targets training apparel at Carrington.
Manchester United are currently discussing a potential sponsorship deal with Betway, reportedly worth up to £18 million. This comes despite the Premier League having banned betting companies from featuring as main shirt sponsors starting from the 2026-27 season.
Back in 2023, Premier League clubs collectively agreed to remove gambling logos from the front of their shirts. From that point, no top-flight team will carry betting advertisements on their kits during matches. But this new deal would see Betway appear on United’s training gear, not their matchday shirts.
According to reports from the MEN, talks have progressed significantly. If an agreement were reached, the Betway logo would be quite visible on the training apparel worn by players at Carrington, United’s training ground. That means fans would regularly see the branding in video footage and photos taken during training sessions.
Previously, United’s training kits featured Tezos, a blockchain company, until that partnership ended in June 2025. Betway has its own history with English football; they’ve been shirt sponsors for West Ham United and maintain global gambling partnerships with several Premier League clubs, including Manchester City, Arsenal, and Brighton & Hove Albion.
The financial terms on the table for this Betway deal would be substantially close to £18 million, putting it on a similar scale to Bayern Munich’s partnership with Allianz, which includes stadium naming rights. This is quite a significant figure for a single training kit sponsor.
This season, United have gone without a sponsor on their training gear. After the Tezos contract expired, the club chose not to rush into a new agreement. They wanted to carefully evaluate potential partners, both from a financial standpoint and in terms of brand alignment.
There were even conversations with the African division of the Six Rivers Foundation, a conservation project in which United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has invested. However, those discussions didn’t lead to a deal.
When majority owners Joel and Avram Glazer visited Carrington earlier this year, commercial revenue and sponsorship opportunities were among the key topics addressed. The club has also brought in marketing agency Two Circles, where ex-United sales manager Leo Thompson works, to help find a new sleeve sponsor, given that the current contract with DXC ends this summer.
Securing Champions League qualification for next season under Michael Carrick’s leadership has somewhat eased the process. United guaranteed their place in Europe’s top competition after a 3-2 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford, which should make the club more attractive to potential commercial partners.
