Five Man Utd wonderkids Jose Mourinho tipped for stardom and where they are now
Jose Mourinho was in charge of Manchester United when he tipped five academy players for greatness, and things have panned out differently for some of them.
Scott McTominay was among those Jose Mourinho tipped for big things at Man United (Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)
Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho once predicted five of the club's academy players would go on to achieve great things in football. The Portuguese tactician - who recently signed a deal agreeing to join Turkish side Fenerbahce - has never been one to hold back his opinions on players and rivals.
Despite being a divisive figure, there have been many instances where Mourinho's predictions have come true. However, he has also made some misjudgements during his time at Old Trafford and beyond.
During his tenure at United, Mourinho provided fans with plenty of memorable moments, from his press conferences to match days, and even some contentious training sessions. But that's not to suggest The Special One wasn't on the money with some of his predictions, reported the Manchester Evening News.
Mourinho was incredibly fond of Scott McTominay (Image: 2018 Manchester United FC)
Mourinho was dismissed by United in December 2018 and has since had coaching spells at Tottenham, Roma and now Fenerbahce. But what became of those five players he rated so highly at United?
Scott McTominay
When Mourinho highlighted Scott McTominay as a rising star, the Scot had already made his Premier League debut for United against Arsenal in May 2017. Fast forward to 2024, and McTominay continues to shine at Old Trafford, netting 10 goals and providing three assists in the 2023/24 season.
With 289 appearances and 29 goals over eight seasons, he's become a stalwart for United. On the international stage, McTominay has been a standout performer for Scotland, scoring seven times in the European Qualifiers and helping them secure a spot at Euro 2024.
Andreas Pereira of Fulham applauds the fans during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Fulham FC. (Image: Vince Mignott/MB Media/Getty Images)
Demetri Mitchell
Demetri Mitchell was given his Premier League start shortly after McTominay in a season finale against Crystal Palace. However, his career at Old Trafford never really took off as he spent the 2018/19 season on loan at Hearts before returning to the United academy.
He signed a permanent deal with Blackpool, where he played 25 matches under former Liverpool youth manager Neil Critchley. The now-27-year-old then moved back to the Scottish capital to join Hibernian on a £300,000 permanent transfer a mere three years after playing for their city rivals.
He only managed a single year with the Scottish Premiership team and is currently recovering from a cruciate ligament injury at League One side Exeter City.
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Demetri Mitchell joined Hibs before moving back to England with Exeter last year (Image: Getty)
Pereira's case is intriguing for United supporters, as the young midfielder seemed to have immense potential that never full materialised. He spent time on loan at several clubs, including La Liga teams Granada and Valencia, Italian side Lazio, and Brazilian outfit Flamengo.
In the summer of 2022, United finally cut ties with Pereira, who joined Premier League side Fulham in a deal reportedly worth £8million. Since his move, the Brazilian international has been impressive, making 82 appearances for the west London club, netting eight goals and providing 15 assists.
Axel Tuanzebe
Axel Tuanzebe made his Premier League debut in the same match as McTominay under Mourinho but struggled to secure a regular spot in the first team after that game. The centre-back has been loaned to Aston Villa three times and also had stints at Napoli and Stoke City.
United released him in the summer of 2023, and he found a new home at Ipswich Town, where he scored and assisted once during their successful 2023/24 campaign. The club secured their promotion to the Premier League on the final day of the Championship season, meaning Tuanzebe will face his former team in the upcoming campaign.
Axel Tuanzebe helped Ipswich earn promotion to the Premier League (Image: Getty)
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Tyrell Warren
Like fellow full-back Mitchell, Tyrell Warren found himself surplus to requirements at United after graduating from the academy. This is a fate many before him have faced, as numerous academy players across various clubs must strive for excellence to compete for a place in the first team.
Since leaving United, Warren has had a challenging journey, moving between several teams including Salford's Under-21s, Boston United, Halifax Town and Barrow.
The right-back's latest move saw him transfer from League Two side Barrow to Grimsby Town for £170,000. Now 25, there are hopes he can secure regular playing time and establish his career with a club in the long term.
