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Manchester United’s academy continues to produce an exciting pool of young talents, all eager to impress new head coach Michael Carrick.

Several of these rising stars are expected to be given opportunities during the pre-season, and among the most anticipated prospects is 19-year-old Shea Lacey.

Lacey made his senior debut under former boss Ruben Amorim and went on to feature in three more appearances from the bench. He nearly scored a memorable winner against Burnley with a superb curling effort from outside the box, and Carrick gave him 28 minutes in the final match of the season against Brighton & Hove Albion.

The England Under-20 international has clearly moved beyond academy level, and as previously noted by The Peoples Person, the United coaching team hold high expectations for the left-footed attacker.

They believe Lacey possesses the technical quality and temperament to make a lasting impact in the first team — a view shared by United midfielder Manuel Ugarte.

In a recent interview with the club’s media during his World Cup duties, the Uruguayan was asked which young players he believed were ready to make the step up to senior football.

Ugarte singled out Shea Lacey, expressing admiration for the Liverpool-born forward’s confidence both on and off the pitch.

“Shea Lacey is a really good player. He has personality. That’s really important in the squad. Let’s see if he can improve and he can show himself in the squad.

“He did really well [last season] but we know that he can do better and also he can show to everyone how he plays.”

The Uruguay international also spoke about the responsibility of senior players in creating a welcoming environment for academy graduates entering the first-team setup.

“Of course, most of the players need confidence and need to speak,” he added. “Sometimes, it’s just speaking to everyone.

“So I think that’s the most important thing, that they have the confidence to play and then, after that, they can show on the pitch what they can do.

“Of course, I think it’s really important because you grew up watching these kind of players and, after a few months, you are playing with them. It’s really important to be humble and to understand everything, what the players are doing, as a player, it’s so important to give confidence.”

While Lacey is determined to seize his chance in the senior team, Ugarte’s own future at Old Trafford appears uncertain.

INEOS, the club’s ownership group, are reportedly keen to move on the former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, even if it means accepting a significant financial loss to remove his salary from the wage bill.

Feature image: Carl Recine via Getty Images