Manchester United are considering letting three youngsters head out on loan once the January transfer window opens. United's lack of European football this season and their early exit from the Carabao Cup has left Ruben Amorim with few opportunities to rotate and give fringe players minutes - and that could prompt action in the New Year.
The team are generally only in action once per week, which means Amorim has been able to keep a level of consistency in his selections. While this did appear to be bearing fruit in a five-game unbeaten run in the Premier League before the 1-0 defeat by Everton on Monday, it has had some knock-on effects.
United have a history of giving opportunities to academy graduates, but they have been thin on the ground this season. The situation is shown by Kobbie Mainoo's struggles for game time, with the 20-year-old midfielder getting just 260 minutes across nine appearances so far this season, with his only start coming in the shambolic defeat by Grimsby in the Carabao Cup.
Top young stars like Harry Amass and Radek Vitek left on loan to Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City respectively and there are further plans in the works. The Daily Mail reports that Diego Leon, Sekou Kone and Ayden Heaven could be sent out on loan in January in order to get more game time.
Leon joined United in a deal worth a potential £7million from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno in the summer. But the 18-year-old left-back is yet to make his United first-team debut, with Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu among those ahead of him in the pecking order.
He arrived with high hopes of breaking into Amorim's plans, but has only made it onto the bench on four occasions this season. Having initially been reluctant to consider a loan move, Leon is frustrated by only playing for the under-21s and French side Nice - who are also owned by Ineos - could represent a good fit for him.
Kone, a 19-year-old midfielder, joined United in the summer of 2024 and has been playing for the under-21s. He suffered a concussion in a National League Cup tie at Tamworth, which saw him taken to hospital last month, but has since returned to action.
Heaven is highly rated by Amorim but has managed just 92 minutes of action this season. The centre-back was an unused substitute against Everton on Monday and faces further competition for places through the imminent return of Lisandro Martinez.
The three youngsters' exits are being weighed up, but those of Mainoo and Joshua Zirkzee are less likely to be sanctioned. Both players are unhappy with their lack of regular minutes for United, but Amorim has made the club's position clear ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations starting next month, when United will lose Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui.
"I was a football player," he said on Monday. "I understand everything, and I want to help my players in every situation. I understand the frustration of some players, seeing the World Cup is there. I know what it means.
"But the first thing is that the club comes first. If I can help the club and the players, I will be happy. If not, I have to think about the team."