Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, may be seeking to bring in a new right-back come the summer, as the Red Devils have recently been linked with a number of intriguing players in that position.
Among the names apparently brought up in connection with the start of the transfer window amid rumors that Aaron Wan-Bissaka might be allowed to depart were Denzel Dumfries of Inter Milan and Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen.
Although Wan Bissaka has started the last seven league games in absence of the injured Diogo Dalot, it is still unclear whether he will continue to earn his manager's trust given that he had only appeared for four minutes in all competitions before the World Cup break.
There is a need to find a strong replacement for the aforementioned Dalot outside of the Premier League because the £50 million addition from 2019 has recently drawn attention from the league rivals.
Erik Ten Hag, though, may potentially help the club save millions by going to the youth ranks instead of shelling out yet another high sum on a potential new signing - while the team is still looking for a new striker and midfielder.
The 18-year-old Marc Jurado would undoubtedly benefit from the Dutchman's chance, as the full-back has recently undergone "amazing" development at Old Trafford after moving there from Barcelona in 2020, according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst.
Although the talented Spaniard has yet to play for United in a competitive match, it is clear that he is a player who could succeed if given the chance. Jacek Kulig, a talent scout, once praised him as "one of the leaders of an extremely talented group of FC Barcelona players born in 2004" (which also included Gavi).
The "complete" ace, as Kulig put it, has already shown off his artistic abilities this season with three goals and three assists from his right-sided position at Premier League 2 level. He has also proven his valuable versatility by appearing in a more advanced role and at left-back.
The teen gained more notoriety last season as a result of his participation in United's FA Cup Youth victory. He played the full 90 minutes in each of the competition's six games, including the final which Manchester United Youth team defeated Nottingham Forest's.
Paul McShane, a former academy product who has been compared to Real Madrid mainstay Dani Carvajal, has also praised Jurado as a player with enormous potential. In fact, McShane said in March of last year that Marc Jurado is a player of immense potential.
"Marc Jurado is a great lad, he’s got a great spirit about him," he said.
"He’s good around the training ground, he’s good on the pitch, he’s very vocal, wants to defend as well.”
The young player has since made an appearance in the mid-season friendly loss to Cadiz in December, which may indicate that a legitimate first-team opportunity under Ten Hag is not too far away.
As a result, the former Ajax manager may take a chance on the academy darling rather than jeopardizing the development of the Spain U20 international by making another high-profile signing.
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