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The Summer Transfer Window has officially closed - for the English Clubs at least, and Manchester United have disappointed fans worldwide with their lack of activity, especially by failing to reinforce in weaker areas of their squad. United completed their three signings early on, first adding Right Back Diogo Dalot from Porto from £19m, then adding Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk for £47m and finally adding Lee Grant from Stoke for £1.5m. The signs were good and it seemed that Manchester United were a club with a plan. Fans could not wait for the iconic signing which surely had to come soon.
A right winger and a defender seemed to be on the cards, with a galaxy of stars linked to Old Trafford for those two positions for quite a long time in the transfer window. Unfortunately, none of those moves materialized as the Transfer Window closed unceremoniously for United. Mourinho looked especially frustrated and now everything seems to point to his "Third Season Syndrome".
All the rival clubs have made smart buys, investing well and spending without worry and this has made United look even worse than they actually are. Yes, the signings that would have made United better have not arrived, but it is in the DNA of this club to prepare players, to build, to shape youngsters into legends of football. The slight hiccup, though, might be Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho is a winner, he doesn't like to think too far into the future, because he might not be around to enjoy the fruits of the saplings he is planting.
This attitude of the Portuguese has hurt him all through his career and it is time he does something about it. Manchester United have gained fame by nurturing budding talent and turning them into shining stars. Yes, the big name signings have been there, but the club has always mixed the stars with the youth and prepared a perfect recipe for winning and going forward the United Way.
Mourinho has the ingredients, as we shall discuss in this article ahead, all he needs is a little patience, a little desire to shape people in his ideology. He needs to inspire, he needs to build and he needs to treat this as a new challenge. No signing? Fret not, for here are 5 youngsters who have the potential to be the backbone of the United team for years. These players have the ability to step up this season, in various capacities and make United better. All they need is a little trust from their manager.
#5 Tahith Chong
Tahith Chong has United fans who followed him last season, gushing about his abilities. The boy is only 18 years old and he is extremely skillful and fast.
His pace, trickery and ability to spot a pass make him an absolute asset to his team and in case you didn't know, he is the reigning Jimmy Murphy Youth Team Player of the Year.
The cherry on the cake is the fact that Chong can play on the right wing, or on the right side of the front three. But he is versatile and as a left-footer can play practically anywhere across the front three. Chong did play a few games in the preseason, yet after an intriguing run as a sub in the game against Club America, could not replicate his performance in the other games.
Inconsistency at such age is very common and this is where Mourinho and maybe Carrick would come handy. Maybe a little guidance can turn the young boy into a top player on the right side in the near future.
The least Mourinho can do is give him game time. He can start or at least come on from the bench against lesser oppositions and who knows, he could actually find his footing in the Premier League, especially in the right side that is crying for him.
#4 Luke Shaw
Luke Shaw is now remembered as the boy who could not fulfill his potential, but people forget that he is still only 23 years old.
Shaw has been in the United ranks since 2014 when he joined from Southampton for £27m. But injuries and attitude problems have halted his progression and it did seem that he would never justify his potential.
However, Shaw has improved his attitude of late and has been working hard. Ashley Young's emergence as a left back came at a wrong time for him, but the boy has not given up yet. He had a decent preseason this time and looks ready finally.
United was linked with a few left backs as well this season and it is a sign of the manager's confidence in Luke Shaw that none of those deals were pursued.
Young's age will catch up with him soon, but even without that, this should finally be the season of Shaw. All he needs, once again, is a little trust from his manager.
Once again, game time is all that is required to build his confidence and to ensure he understands the players around him.
He is good going forward as well as defending with his back to the wall and his speed makes him a tricky proposition.
He needs to improve on his crossing though and with a little guidance from Jose, he should be sticking around for years.
#3 Victor Lindelof
Okay, maybe we are stretching the youngster thing a bit too much, but the Swede is only 24 years old and may be considered a young man at the least.
He is the same age as Bailly, who is already United's best defender and hence is not a part of this list. But Lindelof should be the ideal partner for Bailly this season and his performance in the World Cup alone is enough to justify that.
Lindelof looked assured and confident and that is what a little trust from the people around you can do. Last season, Mourinho shuffled around his defense a bit too much for anyone's liking and coming into a new team, in a league as competitive as the Premier League took its toll on Lindelof.
Yet his attributes make him the perfect partner for Bailly. Bailly is strong and fast, but not so good with the ball going forward. Lindelof is very good with the ball and can initiate attacks from the back.
Bailly can be a little eccentric at times, but Lindelof is a picture of calm. Together, these two can form another formidable defensive partnership that has been the mainstay of United's title-winning sides of the past.
As such, Lindelof needs his manager to root for him, to guide him and yes, again, to give him a little trust. The Swede definitely deserves that.
Mourinho needs to stick to a formation and use Bailly and Lindelof continuously so that these two get a run of games together and builds an understanding between them.
Also, rendering a person useless at the slightest hint of an error is a big no-no. Everyone needs time, and support and if Mourinho could man manage the Swede, Lindelof could be the answer to United's defensive worries.
#2 Andreas Pereira
Pereira came back from a loan spell at Valencia last season and already looks a far better player now. He has matured well and has used the experience of La Liga to mold himself into a gritty playmaker.
He is technically sound and has excelled for United in the preseason, spraying passes, closing down opponents, showing maturity beyond his year. He is only 22, but he was the focal point of United's creative play in the preseason.
With Matic ruled out for at least a few weeks and other midfielders recovering from injuries or regaining fitness, this is Pereira's opportunity to make his mark.
His free kick goal against Liverpool in preseason was the stuff dreams are made of and United fans will be hoping for more of the same this season.
Mourinho should start him at every opportunity and allow him to develop into a better player. United will be competing in four fronts at least for the start of the season, so there will be enough opportunities for him to make his mark.
Mourinho needs to give him those opportunities because Matic is not getting younger and Pogba can be inconsistent at time, so Pereira would be a perfect fit for the United midfield in the near future.
#1 Marcus Rashford
He was handed the No.10 jersey this season, which shows the immense faith the Board and maybe even Mourinho has on him.
And the boy does have bundles of talent to make it work, and he does not turn 21 until october!
Rashford has a ferocious shot in him, is as fast as footballers come and have quite a bit of skill in him too.
What lets him down is his decision-making abilities and the fact that he tries to do all on his own sometimes.
While these are natural problems at his age and can be improved with experience, Mourinho could put an arm around his shoulder and show him the way. He could point out Rashford's mistakes and help the boy rectify them.
And he could also help the youngster adapt his game to be a bit more versatile. As of now, Rashford is very effective in the left of the front three, but not so through the middle or the right. Once he adds these qualities to the facets of his game, he will become unstoppable and will be a Manchester United Superstar.
First of all, Mourinho needs to let him play his natural game. Tracking back all the time takes a toll on his attacking abilities and puts him out of position many times.
Next, Mourinho could also deploy him down the right and ask him to stretch the defense and put in crosses.
The Manchester United No.10 has all the abilities of player of the iconic shirt number, so it is up to Mourinho to nurture him and shape him into a world winner.
