As Manchester United edged closer and closer towards requiring life-saving heart surgery at the end of this season, the clamour for Alejandro Garnacho to inject some fresh blood only grew stronger.
The youngster, who scored twice to help United's Under-18s beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 in the FA Youth Cup final last month, is considered as the jewel in the crown as far as the Reds' current crop of academy talented is concerned. No player in the academy has excited United's supporters more than him in recent months.
Although he is only 17, the attention surrounding him is already sky-high. He is an enormous talent and his tally of 14 goals and six assists in 32 appearances across all youth settings this season proves exactly that.
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As a result of his attention-grabbing success in the academy this season, the calls for him to be handed a chance to impress at first-team level only increased as the season neared its conclusion. United's campaign was dead in the water as they entered their remaining fixtures, meaning the fans wanted to see former interim manager Ralf Rangnick award opportunities to some of the youngsters, Garnacho in particular, opposed to continuing to watch senior figures who were failing to roll up their sleeves and fight for the badge.
Rangnick, although he embedded a handful of youngsters in his training sessions from his first day in the job, was not as keen to incorporate them within his plans as some might have expected. But he was not keen on the idea of throwing them into a situation where the team was performing badly and attracting widespread criticism.
The German, speaking ahead of the 3-2 win over Norwich City in mid-April, said: "It's always about playing the strongest available team because they are not friendly games and I don't think we would do some of the youngsters a favour if we bring them in at the wrong moment.
"I love to play young players but in a moment when the team is performing well and playing with confidence. Then it could be the right moment to give young players game-time, but not in a situation like we're in right now."
You can understand Rangnick's argument. United experienced a disastrous ending to the season, winning just two of their last nine matches, meaning the atmosphere around the club was unsavoury and the environment meant it would have been difficult for the likes of Alvaro Fernandez, Hannibal Mejbri and Garnacho to have come into the team with the shackles off and impose themselves.
Garnacho featured twice in the closing stages of the campaign, stepping off the bench against both Chelsea and Crystal Palace, but those cameo appearances amounted to just 12 minutes. It was a quick taster of first-team life, but it was not enough time for him to offer a true account of himself.
Hannibal, too, also earned two opportunities, but he was lucky enough to win a start in the final day defeat to Crystal Palace. Had United been performing better, playing with confidence and winning games, the duo might have earned more opportunities to familiarise themselves with first-team life.
Therefore, if United's supporters are to see more of Garnacho and other youngsters next season, the onus is on manager Erik ten Hag to create a winning environment for them to flourish in. Just like at any club, at any level, it is far easier for any youngster to make a strong impression on their graduation to the first-team when everyone else around them is succeeding and the team is thriving as a collective.
Ten Hag, of course, has a track record of developing youngsters and taking them under his wing, meaning it is entirely possible that Garnacho, as well as others, could become a first-team regular next season. But if we are to see the best of him, whether it be via him becoming a regular starter or earning frequent opportunities from the bench, United need to significantly improve, allowing Garnacho to thrive in a positive, upbeat environment.
He is a star in the making and it has been several years since a United academy player had this much focus on them at just 17. Time will tell if he lives up to the hype, but Ten Hag has the responsibility of creating the environment for him to thrive in.
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