5 youngsters Manchester United should target in the future

Old Trafford has been the breeding ground for numerous young players over the past two decades. The Red Devils spotted the likes of Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo quite early in their careers. Both of them went on to become fine forwards of their generation.

Quite recently, United bought Anthony Martial for a then world-record fee for a teenager. Martial has shown regular flashes of his brilliance and is touted to become the talisman of Old Trafford for years to come.

In a crazy market like this one, youngsters do not come for cheap. Any team has to shell out a reasonable amount of land up a talented lad and hence the overall situation is becoming even more complicated.

However, there are young players who are ready to make the big jump in their careers. Manchester United might want to sign some of them and here we look at the probable candidates.

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#5 Kieran Tierney - Celtic FC

Sooner or later, Tierney will move to the Premier League

The Scottish Premiership has faded into obscurity due to the sheer dominance of Celtic since the past couple of seasons. Brendan Rodgers' side is the host of some of the finest talents across the country. One such player is their left-back, Kieran Tierney.

The 20-year-old Manx-born youngster has been doing well with Celtic. His inspiring performances have helped them dominate the league. Tierney is a quintessential modern full-back possessing loads of talent. He can hold one end strong and is extremely productive in the opposition half too.

Tierney has quick feet and can bomb up and down the flank regularly. He is solid defensively and keeps thwarting attacks with his intelligent sense of positioning. The youngster has good footwork and keeps making some precise passes into the box.

More importantly, he has a wonderful eye for the goal. He can unleash some powerful shots from the long range too. In six matches in the Champions League this season, Tierney won a staggering 54 percent of his duels.

Manchester United have lacked a quality full-back ever since the departure of Patrice Evra. Luke Shaw has struggled with his fitness and hence the Red Devils might consider Tierney as an option.

#4 Leon Bailey - Bayer Leverkusen

Leon Bailey has been a revelation for Bayer Leverkusen this season

The German Bundesliga is a league where many young talents are plying their trade currently and Leon Bailey is one of them.Versatility is a virtue that not many players can boast of. The ability of Bailey to play at multiple positions gives him a distinctive edge.

The Jamaican international is a wide player; wide because he can actually play anywhere on the flank. He possesses bags of energy and has a whole set of tricks up his sleeve.

Bailey can dribble the ball past defenders with relative ease. He is quite decisive going near the opposition box too. Bailey has often been deployed in the wing-back role and he has succeeded playing over there too.

He started off his career under complicated circumstances with Genk before making the move to Germany. Leon Bailey can certainly excel in the English game owing to his commendable athleticism and dynamic style of play.

He recently made his admiration for the Premier League known. He is surely a player that Manchester United could use well.

#3 Ryan Sessegnon - Fulham

At just 17 years of age, Ryan Sessegnon has already made a name for himself

The 17-year-old Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham has made quite a name for himself in the Championship in recent times. Capable of playing anywhere on the left flank, Sessegnon possesses a lethal left foot too.

Sessegnon is an extremely solid full-back. This means that one needs to try really hard to make his way past him. At such a young age, the boy has an amazing defensive awareness. He is quite adept at making safe tackles and can undertake crucial interceptions too.

Moreover, Sessegnon can run at a searing pace! He can be a threat on both ends of the pitch and this makes him an interesting prospect for the future. Teams have been behind Fulham to let go of the 17-year-old but the Championship side is adamant about keeping him for quite some time now.

Right now might not be the correct time for a big money switch to Old Trafford as many still consider Sessegnon to be a one-season wonder. However, if he keeps performing consistently, then a move to Manchester United in a couple of years cannot be ruled out.

#2 Christian Pulisic - Borussia Dortmund

At 19 years of age, Pulisic is arguably the best active footballer for USA already

Despite football being a global sport altogether, there has been an alarming lack of great players from the United States of America. Borussia Dortmund seem to have broken that perspective as Christian Pulisic has lit up the Bundesliga with his brilliant talent and performances.

Pulisic is an American international and was signed by Dortmund when he was just 15. He is an attacking midfielder but can put in a tackle or two while playing on the wings. He is comfortable playing on either wing and can shift to the centre too.

As a player, Pulisic has incredible talent and can control the tempo of the game alone. He makes driving runs forward, links up beautifully with his teammates, and stays composed in front of the goal. Pulisic is a great passer of the ball and has impeccable vision. Pulisic has a silky first touch and can pick out passes even if he is cramped for space.

Christian Pulisic can offer a lot to the Red Devils.

#1 Justin Kluivert - Ajax

Patrick Kluivert's son, Justin, has the potential to reach the same heights as his father

Justin Kluivert is perhaps the most talked about youngster amongst the five listed in this slideshow. Jose Mourinho is apparently a huge admirer of the 18-year old star.

Mourinho knows Kluivert from the manager’s time at Barcelona. Justin is the son of Patrick Kluivert, who was a great forward and used to play for the Catalans. In the finals of last season’s Europa League, Mourinho was seen having a talk with Justin Kluivert. Many rumored it to be a sign of things to come in future.

If you judge the Dutchman by his abilities, then he is right up there at the top amongst his peers. Justin Kluivert is a winger, having the ability to play on either flank. His direct running coupled with his finishing instincts make him a huge threat in front of the goal.

Something that separates Justin Kluivert from forwards of his age is his composure in front of the goal. He always seems to have that extra second, which helps him to make the correct decision in front of the goalkeeper.

Kluivert has scored five times and assisted twice in his fourteen appearances for Ajax this season. With age by his side, there can be obvious improvements in his game. Additionally, Mourinho's interest in the youngster could see him move to Old Trafford as early as next summer!