Manchester United agree loan deal for striker
Man Utd want to sign a striker in the summer transfer window and will allow another to leave on loan.
Manchester United youngster Ethan Wheatley has agreed to join Northampton Town on loan for the forthcoming campaign.
The 19-year-old endured a difficult time on loan with League Two side Walsall last season and will hope for a more successful experience when he moves up a division to join Northampton. Wheatley could be involved when Kevin Nolan's side begin the new League One season with a trip to face Wigan Athletic this weekend.
Wheatley was not included in the United squad for their pre-season trip to the US, with the focus on securing him a loan deal to aid him in his professional development. He won the club's Young Player of the Year award for the 2023/24 season and made history as the 250th academy graduate to feature for the first team when he was handed a debut by Erik ten Hag.
He only made one senior United appearance last season before he joined Walsall on loan in the January transfer window. Wheatley started well at his new club but was eventually frozen out as his loan side inconceivably threw away a 12-point lead and won just three of their next 21 matches to miss out on promotion. The teenager made just four appearances for Walsall and returned to United to feature for the U21s for the remainder of the season.
Speaking about his disappointing loan spell with Walsall earlier in the summer, Wheatley said: "My second half of the season has been frustrating. Not being able to show what I’m about, really. But I think this tournament is the perfect way to do it. I think there’ll be a lot of eyes on it and, obviously, representing your country in a Euros, there’s not much better than that.
"It’ll be good to hopefully impress and, just for myself and for the team, play my part and do well. The club have been good with me. They’ve let me come back and play a few Under-21s games, just to keep my legs going, so it’s been good to be back at United, developing and getting game-time."
"Even if my first [loan move] didn’t go well - and it didn’t - I had it in the back of my head. And I was telling staff around the club, it’s not going to define me as a player. It’s not going to judge where I end up in the future. I think it’s just like a little blip in my early career and, hopefully, I can just bounce back from it going into next season."
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