Overview
- The eight youngsters put pen to paper during the scholars' celebration at Old Trafford on Friday and were formally placed into Manchester United’s Professional Development Phase.
- Kai Rooney and Jacey Carrick were among the signees and had their fathers Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick in attendance as the players marked the move to the club’s next development stage.
- Kai, 16, made six Under-18 Premier League appearances last season and debuted in the FA Youth Cup despite an injury-disrupted season; Jacey, also 16, made one Under-18 appearance last term.
- Six other academy players agreed scholarships: Gazik Ibragimov, Edson Dejonge-Seiros, Harlem McLaughlin, Pharell Silvester, Connor Laurie and Jaume Camacho.
- A scholarship is the final formal step before a professional contract can take effect from a player’s 17th birthday, so the club will now focus on developing these scholars and managing retention battles for younger prospects such as 15-year-old JJ Gabriel.