Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has given Amad Diallo and Shola Shoretire hope of making their senior debuts in the Europa League clash against Real Sociedad on Thursday.
The pair have been included in the squad that will travel to Turin to take on the Spanish side in the first leg of the last-32 tie.
Diallo joined from Atalanta in January and is yet to be part of a matchday squad for the Red Devils, while 17-year-old Shoretire is awaiting his maiden first-team appearance having progressed through the youth system and signing his first professional contract last month.
What has been said?
Solskjaer says the pair have not been named in the squad just to make up the numbers and instead hopes they can make an impact against Sociedad.
"Yeah, they’re in the travelling squad. Not just for experience, they’re there to make an impact if they have to," he told the club's website.
"The two boys have done well in training and they are talents that we want to give experience to. First of all they’re travelling and then let’s see if they come on the pitch.
"It’s one of the things we do with our youngsters. They come in and they travel, step-by-step, layer-by-layer and suddenly they’re on the pitch. That’s the thing – we do have a plan and a programme in place that we try to stick to.
"Obviously when there are injuries or absentees or illness then maybe they’ll get the chance before we expected, but the two of them have done well."
Man Utd's focus on youth
The Norwegian coach says the Red Devils want to give promising young players a chance to shine in the first-team and believes he can help improve them.
"We give them the chance to come to Man Utd and have a successful career. As a club, we've proven over the years that's something we take seriously and it's something we are good at. We are a club that like to give chances to young players and develop and find a talent," he told reporters.
"Our history has always been about attacking players, skilful players that you play with no fear. These are players that we have identified to carry that tradition. My role is to speak and put a clear pathway for them to say this is what we did.
"We've shown over the years with the previous managers - Sir Alex was the best with producing the best players in the world, bringing them. Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo were young. Of course we developed [Ryan] Giggs, [David] Beckham, [Gary] Neville and that group ourselves. We have still got Marcus Rashford, we have Mason [Greenwood] coming through.
"All these experiences help me as a manager when I want to and convince players that here is the future for you. I like to give them a chance. When you follow my career as a coach, that is one of the biggest enjoyments, seeing a player as a young man and then seeing him successful at the highest level."
Further reading
- Greenwood: I’m getting back to where I was last season
- Cavani and van de Beek ruled out of Real Sociedad clash
- Januzaj admits to winding up PlayStation buddy Pogba
