Manchester United hopeful of keeping academy record-holder amid uncertain future

Joe Hugill, Toby Collyer, Shola Shoretire and Sam Mather in action during a first team training session

Manchester United are still hopeful of agreeing a new deal with youngster Shola Shoretire amid the growing possibility that he will leave the club this summer.

The 20-year-old was one of the hottest talents to come out of the club's illustrious academy in recent years but has fallen down the pecking order and is understood to be considering his options as he looks to make the breakthrough into senior football.

United still feel that they are well placed to give Shoretire the platform he needs to fulfil his potential but it is understood that the youngster has doubts about whether or not it is actually the right decision.

ManchesterWorld understand United have been in contract talks with Shoretire for a number of months and they were only prepared to let him leave on loan in the January window had he signed a new deal.

Shoretire received interest from Championship clubs and abroad last summer and just last month he found himself linked with a move to Turkish giants Galatasaray in the summer window.

United have aimed to become "smarter" in terms of selling academy graduates in recent years and they have also become a lot more ruthless, with staff suspecting players are going "stale and sour" if they stay at the club too long without getting an opportunity to play. While their preference would be to keep Shoretire, they also wouldn't be totally against selling him if an appropriate offer arrived that included a future sell-on clause.

Shoretire made his senior debut at the age of just 17 and holds the record as the youngest player to represent United in European competition. He was given his first-team debut by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer against Newcastle in February 2021 and four days after that game, he was handed another appearance from the bench against Real Sociedad in the Europa League.

United scrapped plans to send Shoretire out on loan in the final days of the summer transfer window in 2022 after Erik ten Hag indicated he wanted to oversee his development. He spent six months on loan with League One side Bolton last season, making 16 appearances. Shoretire was named the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year for the 2020/21 season.