Fergie's Next Generation

With the purstrings at Old Trafford tightly secure after facing mounting debt levels, Sir Alex Ferguson is backing the youth players to form the future of the club, rather than spend millions in the transfer market. While neighbouring rivals Manchester City are edging closer to spending £100 million this summer, Ferguson believes his stars are in his own backyard. Having only signed the promising talents of Javier Hernandez and Chris Smalling, Ferguson believes his current crop of youth which includes Federico Macheda, Tom Cleverly and the Da Silva twins are good enough to become first team regulars, all waiting in the wings to burst on to the Premier League stage this season.

The most obvious talent apart from the Da Silva twins, is Federico Macheda, nicknamed Kiko, who has already become a household name after bursting on the scene. Born in Rome, the 18 year-old is one of the most promising players of his generation. The powerful forward has excellent movement and a natural eye for goal. Starting out at Lazio, Macheda was prevented from signing professional terms until he was 18 due to Italian football regulations and Manchester United were quick to act and signed him as a 16-year old in September 2007. After scoring a hat-trick for the reserves against Newcastle in April 2009, Macheda was rewarded with his first senior call up and he quickly rewarded Sir Alex Ferguson's faith when he was introduced as a second half substitute against Aston Villa when they were 2-1 down. 

Macheda  who  replaced  Nani  became  an  instant  fans hero after  scoring  an  injury  time  winner after Cristiano Ronaldo had drawn the teams level. In his second Premiership game, Macheda replaced Dimitar Berbatov against Sunderland and within 46 seconds, the Italian had the ball in the back of the net for the second time in as many  While the 2009/10 season promised to be Macheda's breakthrough, injuries prevented him from gaining the necessary first team opportunities. Although he only played in a handful of games, Macheda made his Champions League debut and extended his contract with the club until 2014. The Italian Under-21 international is regarded by Sir Alex Ferguson as the best finisher at the club and the Italian has played his part in most of the pre-season activity for the 2010/11 season.

Striking Sensation Federico Macheda

Joining Macheda at Old Trafford was fellow countryman Davide Petrucci who joined from AS Roma in July 2008. The highly rated midfielder impressed scouts in his time at Roma, scoring 14 goals in 19 matches for the Italian youth side int he 2007/08. He also starred for the Under-17 Italian side and is known for excellent passing and ability to score spectacular goals. In his debut season for the Red Devils he was part of the Academy side that won the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland in August 2008 and scored 5 goals in 14 appearances to help Paul McGuinnesse's side finish second in the league behind arch rivals Manchester City. The attacking midfield prospect also enjoyed a taste of reserve-team football in 2008/09, making six outings and scoring a superb free-kick against Accrington Stanley. Just when it seemed he would be involved more regularly with the second string, injury restricted his appearances.

Still only 18 years-old, Petrucci is one of the most promising prospects at the club and will be hoping to impress in the League Cup this season when his chance comes. Other Italians in the youth ranks at Old Trafford include Michele Fornasier and Alberto Massacci, both highly rated defenders who followed in the footsteps of players like Giuseppe Rossi to make the switch from Italy in recent years. Michele Fornasier is a commanding Italian centre-half who joined United from Fiorentina in September 2009. He made an immediate impact for United's Under-18s in his first season, appearing 18 times in the centre of defence. 17 year-old Alberto Massacci is a tall and strong defender who operates at right-back and joined in the summer of 2009 from Empoli. A regular in Paul McGuinness' Under-18 side his season was cut short by injury. He still made seven appearances in his debut season at the club and signed professional forms with the Reds on 1st July 2010.

One of Manchester United's finest English players in the academy ranks is Nicky Ajose, who hails from Bury. The attacking talent can play up front or out wide and has excellent pace and dribbling abilities to beat defenders and score or create goals. A regular for the U18s, Ajose has also made the step up to the reserves on several occasions and will further his football education with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the second string. Continuing the English theme is Reece Brown who is the younger brother of first team star Wes. A tall and powerful central defender, he is also able to play at full-back and  bares a striking resemblance to his older brother, both in terms of looks and style of play. Good in the air and quick on the ground, Reece has already been recognised at international youth level for England and has been a mainstay for the U18 side for Manchester United, though has become increasingly prominent for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's reserve side. 

Nicky Ajose

Midfield talents making progress in the youth ranks are Norway's Magnus Eikrem and France's Paul Pogba. Eikrem joined the club in 2006 from MK Molde, after first being spotted at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's soccer school. A midfielder with excellent vision and set pieces, he is now a regular in the reserves. A positional switch to central midfield prompted a string of eye-catching displays from Magnus during the 2009/10 campaign, and he was handed a first-team squad call for the Reds' Carling Cup clash with Wolves in September 2009. Although injury disrupted his start to 2010, Eikrem's form yielded a deserved nomination for the Denzel Haroun Reserve Team Player of the Year award.

Mangus Eikrem

Pogba who was signed from French club Le Harve is rated as one of France's brightest prospects and was also wanted by Arsenal. A tall, powerful and commanding player, he has been likened to Patrick Vieira. The young French midfielder possesses a broad range of qualities required to dominate the midfield and recently starred for France at the Uefa U17 European Championships. Other players worth honourable mentions include Norwegian starlet Joshua King who is a striker described by Under-18s coach Paul McGuinness as "raw potential" and Tom Cleverley, who is a highly-rated young midfielder who has become an England Under-21 international after his rapid ascension through the United ranks.

Manchester United Starlet Paul Pogba