Why Amad and Shoretire are in the travelling squad

The exciting duo have both impressed in recent sessions at the Aon Training Complex and the manager is keen to enhance their educations, by taking them to Turin for this Europa League tie. 

Amad joined United from Italian side Atalanta in January and has already shone with the Under-23s, while Shoretire’s Academy performances earned him a first professional contract earlier this month.

With midfielders Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek both missing from the squad due to injury, as well as Edinson Cavani, there were spaces available and Solskjaer is always quick to trust in youth.

During our exclusive interview - which you can read in full from 09:00 GMT on Thursday - the manager says: “Yeah they’re in the travelling squad. Not just for experience, they’re there to make an impact if they have to. 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.”

In the pre-match press conference with journalists, Solskjaer also spoke passionately about the club’s desire to develop young players and give them opportunities in the first team. 

"We give them the chance to come to Man United and have a successful career. Us 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.

"Our fans, 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 Giggs, Beckham, Neville and that group ourselves. We have still got Marcus Rashford, we have Mason 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."

TRAVELLING SQUAD

De Gea, Grant, Henderson, Bailly, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw, Telles, Tuanzebe, Wan-Bissaka, Williams, Amad, Fernandes, Fred, James, Mata, Matic, McTominay, Shoretire, Greenwood, Martial, Rashford.