Manchester United have an exact replica of £39m Newcastle ace player set to be released from club’s academy

Ethan Ennis has begun the season in exceptional form and has the potential to make his first-team debut this season.

Manchester United supporters are perpetually intrigued by the prospect of which academy student will be the next to make their senior debut.

This is an extraordinary club accomplishment that is worth celebrating, as 251 young players from the academy have made their first-team debuts at Old Trafford.

Toby Collyer is the most recent academy product to make his senior debut, and it is possible that Ethan Ennis, who has scored three goals in four games this season, will be the next.

Ennis’ transfer from Liverpool to United in August 2021 was a significant event. He scored 10 goals in 19 appearances for United’s Under-18s in 2021/22, his first full season at the club. However, tragedy struck a year later when he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his knee.

Footballers are apprehensive about ACL injuries, as they can have catastrophic repercussions on their careers. However, Ennis has made a complete recovery and was progressively reintroduced to the pitch last season.

Last term, Ennis was able to regain his footing; this season, he is endeavouring to regain his rhythm. The 19-year-old has been in exceptional form, scoring for the U21s in matches against Arsenal, Barnsley, and Blackburn. Additionally, he has participated in first-team training sessions at Carrington.

Ennis demonstrated his capabilities as a dynamic winger during friendlies against Rosenborg and Rangers this summer, emerging from the substitute under the watchful eye of Erik ten Hag. He is a player to keep an eye on.

According to a source, his professionalism in and out of training has not gone unnoticed at United, and he is beginning to make up for missed time after his serious knee injury.

It is believed that Ennis has been challenged by the academy coaches to deliver consistently powerful performances throughout the entire 90 minutes of a match, as his previous contract with the club expired in the summer of 2025. Consequently, he signed a new contract with United this summer.

The youngster is presently embracing the challenge and enhancing his game, which puts him in the running to make his first-team debut this season.

United determined that it would be advantageous for Ennis to spend the initial half of the season with the Under-21s before his situation was evaluated in January. He may qualify for a loan, but there is a possibility that he could make his debut in a cup competition prior to that date.

There are numerous reasons to appreciate Ennis. He is a professional footballer with a physical build, a remarkable finishing ability, and the ability to glide with the ball on the flank.

Ennis is a winger who is adept at scoring goals and is aware of the location of the net. A United fan recently likened his style to that of Andrei Kanchelskis, who was recruited by Sir Alex Ferguson in 1991.

Coaches contend that comparisons are unproductive and emphasise that a player is an individual and unique to themselves. However, they can offer insight into how a youngster may develop.

The Kanchelskis comparison is valid; however, there is a player in the Premier League who bears an uncanny resemblance to Ennis, and that player is Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes.

Barnes is not a name that will elicit excitement from United supporters; however, he has demonstrated his proficiency in the top tier with Newcastle and Leicester, and he is a winger with exceptional finishing skills.

In 2023, Leicester agreed to sell the 26-year-old to Newcastle for £39 million. United would appreciate it if Ennis, who possesses comparable qualities to a winger, were to develop in a similar manner.

Not many wingers possess the ability to reach the back of the net. It is worthwhile to observe Ennis’s ball striking technique during an academy game, as he is particularly effective when cutting inside or entering the box. This is an exceptional talent for a young player in the academy who is just beginning to develop.

While it may be easy to dismiss comparisons to Barnes, it is a testament to Ennis’s talent.