Manchester United academy director Nicky Butt believes it is more important to develop youngsters further next season and help them reach the next level, than setting up targets for them to achieve.
As many as ten academy graduates played for Manchester United’s senior team last season and under Jose Mourinho the club have maintained their unbroken 79-year record of naming at least one youth product in their first team squad for every game.
Butt, who took charge of the club’s academy earlier this year, has carried out widespread changes at academy level, including overhauling the scouting network and bringing back Ricky Sbragia to manage the Under-23s side.
Manchester United are desperate to continue the culture of developing homegrown talents but the club academy director believes it is important not to put too much pressure on the youngsters.
He believes it is more important that the academy helps the youngsters to reach the next level of their development rather than set up goals and targets for them to achieve.
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And he has the firm belief Manchester United have been following the right path in developing talents.
“There are no targets", Butt told the club’s official website.
"We just want to work hard and get some of the older ones as close to the first team as possible.
"For the younger ones, it’s about stepping stones, getting them from A to B and not going too far, too soon.
"There’s no rush; some of them are still babies really – 14, 15 or 16 years old.
"They’re doing well, they’re on the pathway, but there’s a long way to go and that’s the most important thing.
“There’s a science to it, there’s a way to do it, and we believe we’re the best at it.”
Academy graduates such as Scott McTominay and Demi Mitchell are currently with the first team on their pre-season tour of the US.
