Man Utd Fans Want First-Team Promotion for Academy Product After Wondergoal

One of Manchester United's biggest academy talents produced a Player of the Match performance against a PFA XI on Wednesday – and fans believe a first-team call-up is on the horizon.

A squad of 17 free agents travelled to the Carrington training ground on Wednesday to compete in the final fixture of this summer's PFA pre-season – a clash against Manchester United under-21s.

The pre-season camp has run for 10 weeks and is open to all unattached, out-of-contract PFA members who were signed on a professional contract over the 2024/25 season.

Led by UEFA-qualified coaches, the camp offers an intense and structured training environment to maintain fitness levels, with players also being offered 1-1 wellbeing and personal development support.

Connor Wickham, the former Sunderland and Ipswich Town striker, was included in their latest squad alongside Ryan Watson, Reece Hall and Jermaine Hylton, who memorably reached the final of Wayne Rooney's Street Striker.

Wickham made an instant impression, scoring from the halfway line to give the PFA side an early lead.

But the standout performer at Carrington on Wednesday was highly-rated attacking midfielder Shea Lacey, who equalised for United with a superb left-footed strike from outside the box.

Here's how fans on social media reacted to Lacey's latest performance, as seen below.

One said: "Shea Lacey the standout performer for United U21s today. He's made something happen everytime he's been on the ball and scored a brilliant goal. Not looked out of place at all against a team full of professionals."

A second wrote: "I hope Shea Lacey's injury problems are behind him because he is a phenomenal talent and only a matter of time before some first team minutes."

A third commented: "Shea Lacey, Ibraghimov, Kone & Obi Martin should all be sniffing for some first team action soon," and a fourth said: "Shea Lacey needs regular football this season, kid is a proper talent."

A fifth added: "Shea Lacey is dancing around grown men today. Praying those injuries go away because man, what a talent."

Lacey, who has struggled with injury problems over the past couple of years, was rated highly by former United manager Erik ten Hag

In fact, Ten Hag conducted one-on-one meetings with several promising players from the Manchester United academy in 2023, including Lacey, who has previously been compared to a young Phil Foden.