Did Erik ten Hag prematurely let go of youngster Charlie Savage? – Man United News And Transfer News

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The date is the 8th of December 2021. It is Ralf Rangnick’s first Champions League game in charge. The rain is pouring down at Old Trafford.

Come to think of it, that is a great metaphor for the 2021-22 season in general.

Although, there is one bright moment in an otherwise dull, dead-rubber final group game against Young Boys. The debut of an academy graduate is always a cause for celebration and Charlie Savage races onto the pitch to make his senior debut.

There is a wonderful moment when TNT Sports commentator, Robbie Savage, has the rare opportunity to publicly announce to the viewers that his son Charlie, is about to make his senior debut. A heart-warming moment for sure.

Savage would go on to be promoted to the senior team by Erik ten Hag in the autumn of 2022. Charlie continued his rise by making his debut for the Welsh under-21s during this time. However, outside of a semi-successful summer tour in 2022, the game against the Swiss opponents was the only senior appearance the young man ever made for the club.

The midfielder would go on to have a relatively successful loan spell at Forest Green in the second half of the 22/23 season. The highlight was certainly the young star scoring his first senior goal.

However, it was not enough to convince the Dutch coach to keep him around. The young Welshman was sold to Reading in the summer of 2023 without a senior start for the club.

The ex-academy graduate has started the season fantastically for Reading as he sits as their second top goal scorer with three goals. No mean feat for a midfielder. The youngster’s performances have also seen him make his debut for the Wales senior national team against Gibraltar this month.

The question is, was it a mistake to let him go? It must be stated that Reading were relegated from the championship last year and currently sit bottom of the third tier of English football. Therefore, without taking anything away from Savage, he is hardly competing at the highest level.

The Manchester United midfield department was bolstered in the summer with the additions of Sofyan Amrabat and Mason Mount. Whilst the performances haven’t been there, there is certainly a lot of senior depth in that department.

Perhaps Savage could have been loaned out but very few make it through to the first team and it is far from obvious the young midfielder will even reach Premier League level, never mind what is required at United.

He is still only 20, and playing first team football for Reading and Wales will certainly stand him in good stead to have a solid career. Red Devils fans should wish their academy graduates every success for the future, even if he is not a big fan of the training ground. Nonetheless, it is safe to say that both the club and the player made the right choice this summer.