When Manchester United completed their £36m swoop for 19-year-old French forward Anthony Martial on Deadline Day, it was hard not to imagine the collective groan of the homegrown hopefuls at Old Trafford, exasperated as the window of opportunity at the club closes just that little bit more.
It seems the days of United blooding their youngsters and moulding a team around them are on their way out. Their golden Premier League years under Sir Alex Ferguson where Paul Scholes, David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville made their way through the ranks to become Old Trafford icons seems so far away now.
The need for immediate success trumps the need to bring through the next batch of homegrown heroes, and the signing of Martial, who is now the world’s most expensive teenager, will probably sound the death knell for the United careers of the likes of James Wilson, a player never given an ample opportunity to stake his claim.
Looking at Martial’s record of eight goals in 31 games in Ligue 1, a domestic league far below the standard of the Premier League, a fee of £36m hardly seems a snip.
But Martial had been afforded a chance to shine at Monaco. He was given the playing time needed at a senior level to ensure his development. Aside from the inclusion of Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett last season in United’s defence, when Louis Van Gaal called on them through sheer necessity with such a dearth of senior defenders, there has hardly been any chance for the likes of Wilson to realistically stake a claim.
Loaning youngsters out to clubs in the Football League is all good and well, but it is used as a cop out by some clubs, removing them of their obligation to give products of their youth academies the chance in the senior team.
The lack of quality in the current England team, which is one of the poorest in terms of depth in the past 20 years, is a result of the contempt shown to bringing through English players. The TV money has turned the Premier League into a fine spectacle that’s loved the world over, no doubt about that, but the English game has lost its soul.
Harry Kane was very nearly consigned to a career in the Football League until he grabbed his chance with both hands last season. And there are others who could make such an impact. But continually parachuting youngsters in from abroad means the future is bleak.
