Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spent roughly £75million on signing five players for Manchester United in the summer of 2020.
Donny van de Beek, Amad, Alex Telles, Facundo Pellistri and Edinson Cavani - the latter on a free transfer - arrived and it's fair to say that summer transfer window isn't remembered with great fondness. There is still hope Amad can vindicate the hefty price tag he commanded but his fellow arrivals are considered poor or disappointing signings and, ironically, the best business that summer was done in the academy set-up.
That's because Alejandro Garnacho, Alvaro Fernandez and Marc Jurado were all signed from Spain and with the benefit of hindsight, were tremendous deals that could look even better in the near future. Although there were strict laws forbidding social gatherings due to the pandemic when those players signed, all three gradually adapted and they were given access to documentaries on the club and Manchester to help them integrate.
ALSO READ: Paul Pogba opens up on exit from Manchester United
Garnacho was signed from Atletico Madrid, Fernandez from Real Madrid and Jurado from Barcelona. They arrived with pedigree and it became obvious why the club was so keen to lure them to England when they began playing academy matches.
Three years later, Garnacho has established himself in the first-team squad, Fernandez has enjoyed a brilliant season on loan in the Championship and Jurado was named on the bench in a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest in April.
Garnacho has defied expectations this season. The winger surprised academy staff with his effortless, impressive transition into the first-team environment and Fernandez and Juardo have the potential to follow his pathway.
On loan at Preston this term, Fernandez made 27 starts in the Championship and a total of 42 appearances across all competitions, meaning his time at Deepdale has been considered a resounding success by United staff. He ended his season by winning Preston's Young Player of the Year award and the Lancashire club will undoubtedly miss his presence and energy down the left side when they kick off their 2023/24 campaign.
The 20-year-old is a natural left-back, but he possesses great attacking qualities and his marauding runs down the channel made him a fan favourite at North End. Fernandez loves to get forward and he's very much a modern full-back.
He's physically matured during his promising year in the Championship and he should return to Carrington like a new player, where he will be assessed by Erik ten Hag ahead of the start of pre-season against Leeds in Oslo on July 12.
While Luke Shaw has made the left-back position his own and Tyrell Malacia was Ten Hag's first signing, Fernandez has been pushing to be considered and there is a feeling he could earn a spot in the first-team squad next season.
United have pencilled in seven pre-season fixtures and Fernandez can make a case for himself with strong performances. He certainly looks capable of challenging Malacia and it will be interesting to see how the next two months develop.
Jurado, a right-back who is regarded among Spain's finest youth prospects, will also be hoping to catch Ten Hag's eye in pre-season, having already done enough in training to make a first-team matchday squad against Forest. The 19-year-old travelled with the squad to his homeland Spain for the winter training camp in December, where he played against Cadiz and Real Betis, and making the bench at the City Ground was another milestone in his career.
Just like Fernandez, Jurado is competent in the final third and he will hope to keep Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka on their toes. Both youngsters will be worth following in pre-season and they might provide value to the first-team squad next term.
NEXT UP:
