Speaking on talkSPORT, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has delivered a major warning about Mason Greenwood’s future.
What did he say?
The Red Devils starlet has exploded onto the scene this season for the first-team, already scoring an impressive ten goals in 32 appearances for the senior side.
Despite his early rise, Ferdinand has issued a word of caution about his development over the coming months and years, urging the Manchester side to take heed of how former United man, Michael Owen’s career panned out.
He said: “He’s transitioning well, but I think we have to be careful how much pressure we are putting on his shoulders. He doesn’t need that responsibility yet, he’s too young. He has to be nurtured in the right way.
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“We have to take a good look at how Michael Owen was developed and nurtured as a kid. He was probably mishandled as a young kid coming through. He played far too many games back then. Michael would say himself that he probably suffered from certain injuries over the years as he played too many games far too early on in his career. We don’t want that to happen with Mason.
“He’s a wonderful footballer who can keep on going for many years at the highest level and be a huge talent in this country.”
Management
When someone makes an exciting breakthrough into the first-team as Greenwood has done this season, the temptation is almost to just keep riding the wave and see where it takes you. Just watching how high the 18-year-old can take United by playing regularly, rather than sitting back and pulling back on the reins a little bit.
As Ferdinand points out, Owen suffered big-time with injury problems later on in his career after bursting onto the scene with Liverpool. The danger for the Red Devils is that Greenwood follows a similar path by having to carry the burden of being one of United’s main men at such an early age.
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And that is exactly why the loan swoop for Odion Ighalo in January makes a whole load of sense. The Nigerian can help ease the pressure on the likes of Greenwood, and allow him to thrive and grow in his own time. The Manchester side have a responsibility to nurture their academy product in the right way, or else they risk seeing him fall by the wayside.
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