Why do young United players go out on loan?

You know the story, and the old ‘Roy-of-the-Rovers’ cliché, because we get it at Old Trafford time and time again. Kobbie Mainoo is the most recent, Scott McTominay before him, and Marcus Rashford before him.

“These are players who had really high potential aged nine, who went right through the system, made their debuts really young and stayed in the team,” explains Cox. “That’s not normal. It’s not at all normal! It just so happens that it’s happened many times at our club.”

But if that were the only route to the first team at United, a significant amount of Academy talent would go unfulfilled and unrecognised. The alternative is a loan, something Cox thinks is sometimes misunderstood.

“I read a lot of fans or journalists asking why we send our players to leagues that might be seen as ‘below’ their ability level,” he begins.

“But fans should understand a few things. First, I’m a big believer that there’s no such thing as a bad loan. Any loan, no matter how many minutes you play, will have opportunities for our players to learn, develop and improve.

“Second, in this country, we don’t have the privilege of a controlled environment like a ‘B’ team. I’m not proposing whether that’s a good or a bad idea. We have a proud footballing structure in this country. It’s just a fact, and that’s different to some other countries, such as Spain and Germany. That means you’re putting a player into someone else’s environment. Now, we’re doing that for the betterment of our player, but, from the perspective of the other club, that player is only going there for one reason: to help them win.

“So, that means we might put a player one or two leagues below their capabilities because you want the player to have success.”

It’s clearly a fine balance, then, one that touches upon the varying purposes of the Academy. Its primary goal is to produce talented and well-rounded players for our first team, but while doing that, it can help the club financially and support the first-team squad when required, due to injuries and other unavailability.

"There’s a lot of collaboration that has to go into a loan," says Cox. "From a player development point of view, there has to be some serious thought from the senior Academy staff about what the player might need. That means thinking about the type of league and club, and even the country.

“There also has to be alignment right through the club from the key stakeholders. That includes the first-team head coach [Ruben Amorim] and Jason Wilcox as technical director. We have to agree that it’s the right thing for the player, but also that, if this particular player goes out on loan, we still have enough high-potential players in the building who can support the first team.”

There are ultimately two types of loans, too. There are those upskilling young players who may be destined for United’s first team, and those for young Reds who know their futures lie elsewhere, but for whom a loan will provide exposure and experience to earn a contract elsewhere.

Regardless of the purpose of a loan, it might not, on the face of it, always go to plan. At least from a fan’s perspective.

“We have lads that aren’t in the team at the moment,” says Cox.

“And you want the boys to play, but you can’t put a player on loan with a promise or guarantee of playing. Part of the learning process is understanding how to get into the team, then stay there, how to compete for a starting place. It’s as much a part of the loan as the playing, and then you’ve got lessons in training, how another club works and its values and culture, how to live independently. It’s all important.”

Cox gives an example of Rhys Bennett, the 21-year-old centre-back who captained United to FA Youth Cup success in 2022 alongside Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho.

“Rhys didn’t feature much in his first loan at Stockport County,” Cox says.

“He played one game. But he was around a team that was successful and got promoted, he trained every day and he learnt. That’s paved the way for a loan that’s been more successful from a fan’s perspective. He’s gone to Fleetwood and is contributing on a regular basis.”

With Cox’s recommendation, we give Rhys a ring. He’s having a good time at Fleetwood, a side he joined in August after being part of United’s first-team tour.

Conversation soon turns to his first loan at Stockport.

"Obviously, I didn't enjoy the fact that I wasn't playing, but it was another challenge for me that maybe, at some points in your career, you're going to have a stage where you're not going to play," he recalls.

"I didn’t train any different. I trained like I would have been starting on the weekend. That was a massive part for me—just keep working hard and keep trying to learn as much as I can on the training pitch in a different environment."

His one chance came away at Tranmere Rovers. Stockport lost 4-0.

"I learned more from that day than if we'd have won 4-0," he says.

Coaches at United told him to keep plugging away, and he was back at Carrington every so often for catch-ups.

"I'm 25 games nearly for Fleetwood now and I’ve never forgotten that day, my professional debut. It has probably stood me in good stead really.

“I've really enjoyed being at Fleetwood and playing regularly. It really does mean something and points really matter. That has been massive for me and I like having that bit of added pressure to games and scenarios.

"I've had Darren Fletcher text me a few times, asking me how it's going or he’s already seen the result or something like that. And then obviously the Under-21s’ gaffer and assistant, Trav [Travis Binnion] and Dave [Hughes], they've checked in with me regularly."

It’s not just about messages of encouragement; there’s a structured support system in place.

"We will make sure that each of the players has a mentor, and usually that’s positional specific," says Cox. "For example, Rhys Bennett’s mentor at Fleetwood is Dave Hughes because he was a central defender.

"Together, the staff observe as many games as we possibly can — yes, I’ve even been to Inverness to see James Nolan this season! — and observe the players, write reports, give feedback. We watch from afar if we can’t get there in person.”

Rhys tells us that he had no idea someone was watching his most recent game until a text post-match from U21s coach Binnion. Someone had been there and they’d broken down his performance to talk through it after.

“That’s always good to know, and it’s another reason to always put 100 per cent in!” he says.

What comes next?

“When I was younger, I used to get carried away with thinking, ‘what's the next couple of years going to look like?’ You can lose focus on what's in front of you right now. It’s still in the back of my mind, but the focus is on the next game and getting the most out of this.”

For inspiration, he may look to Will Fish, another ex-Stockport loanee who found success with Hibernian in Scotland and now Cardiff City, or to those who have returned and earned themselves a chance right here at United. Dean Henderson, Axel Tuanzebe and James Garner are three who may not have stayed with the Reds for years on end, but they got their chance, showed quality and have forged excellent Premier League careers for themselves. Bennett could hear similar stories from current Reds Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton too.

At some point in all these players’ loan moves, someone, somewhere might have asked ‘What are they doing there?’ Well, learning what it takes. That’s what.