Next month marks 10 years since Louis van Gaal was brutally sacked as Manchester United manager despite guiding the club to FA Cup glory.
The Dutchman brought the Red Devils their first trophy in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace after extra-time at Wembley.
Van Gaal, a big believer in bringing young players through, promoted 14 youngsters to the first team during his two-year spell at Old Trafford.
Earlier this month, one of those youngsters ended his two-year exile from the game by signing for second-tier United States club New Mexico United.
But what has become of the other 13 stars? Daily Mail Sport takes a look at the very different paths that Van Gaal’s proteges have taken following their United debuts.
Louis van Gaal (right) handed 14 Man United youth or reserve players their first-team debuts
Tyler Blackett
Manchester United debut: 2-1 defeat vs Swansea (Premier League), August 2014
Let’s begin with the star who has found a new club in the United States. Tyler Blackett made his Manchester United debut in Van Gaal’s first competitive game in charge.
The Dutchman’s preference for left-footed defenders saw Blackett make 12 appearances under him in the 2014-15 campaign. That is as good as it got though for Blackett at United, who left the club in August 2016 to sign with Reading.
Now 32, he’s just joined New Mexico United in the USL Championship – the second division of American football after MLS. His move comes two years after he was released upon the expiration of his contract by Championship side Rotherham United following their relegation to League One.
Tyler Blackett made 12 appearances for Man United during Van Gaal’s first season in 2014-15
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson
Manchester United debut: 2-0 win vs West Brom (Premier League), November 2015
Another left-footed defender, and just like Blackett, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson made all of his appearances for United in one season under Van Gaal. He played 11 times for the club in all competitions after making his debut in the 2015-16 season. Capitalising on an injury period among more senior players, Borthwick-Jackson impressed before injuries hampered his own playing time.
He signed a four-year contract at Old Trafford a week after Jose Mourinho replaced Van Gaal but he never made a first-team appearance under the Portuguese and eventually joined Oldham Athletic on a free transfer in 2020.
Now 29, he joined Macclesfield in January on a short-term deal until the end of the season and came on as a second-half substitute in their famous FA Cup third-round win over Palace this season.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson (right) was emotional after Macclesfield’s win vs Crystal Palace
Timothy Fosu-Mensah
Manchester United debut: 3-2 win vs Arsenal (Premier League), February 2016
Timothy Fosu-Mensah was tipped for a promising career at Old Trafford but could ultimately never nail down a regular position as he struggled with fitness issues.
The Dutchman made 10 appearances in his debut 2015-16 season for United and 11 in the next, before spending the next two campaigns on loan at Crystal Palace and Fulham in the Premier League. #
However, his spell at Fulham was cut short when he suffered a knee ligament injury. After returning to action in the Covid-hit 2019-20 campaign, he would only feature nine more times for United before leaving in January 2021.
His time at Bayer Leverkusen was also injury-ridden, making only 30 appearances during his time there before being released at the end of 2023-34 term.
Fosu-Mensah has been a free agent since, as he looks to prove his fitness, but was training with Palace’s Under 21s last month.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah (lefr) has been a free agent since being released by Bayer Leverkusen in 2024
Reece James
Manchester United debut: 4-0 defeat at MK Dons (League Cup), August 2014
No, not the Chelsea captain, but he is a full back. James made his only United appearance in that abysmal League Cup thrashing at MK Dons – in a game that sparked the end of many players’ careers with United.
He spent the rest of that season out on loan at Rotherham and Huddersfield Town, before joining Wigan Athletic in July 2015.
The full back has spent the majority of his career in the Championship and League One, and is back with The Millers – although they are mired in a relegation battle at present.
Reece James is looking to help Rotherham avoid relegation from League One this season
Saidy Janko
Manchester United debut: 4-0 defeat at MK Dons (League Cup), August 2014
Like James, Saidy Janko started that shocking loss in Milton Keynes and like his fellow full-back never played for United again. Hooked at half-time, he was then sent on loan to Bolton for the remainder of the season in February 2015.
He joined Celtic on a four-year contract that summer and has signed for the likes of Saint-Etienne, Porto, Nottingham Forest (loan) and Real Valladolid since. Now on the books of Swiss side Young Boys.
Saidy Janko (centre left) is currently playing for Swiss side Young Boys
Jesse Lingard
Manchester United debut: 2-1 defeat vs Swansea (Premier League), August 2014
One of the standout and most successful names on this list, Jesse Lingard started in Van Gaal’s first game – albeit in the unfamiliar role of right wing-back. However, his debut was curtailed after 24 minutes due to injury in what would be his only club outing that term as he joined Derby County on loan until the end of the season in February 2015.
He made an impact for United in Van Gaal’s second and final campaign though, featuring 40 times in all competitions and scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final against Palace.
Lingard would go on to play 232 times in total for the club, scoring 35 times, before leaving on a free transfer at the end of the 2021-22 season. He left Old Trafford winning three major honours: the FA Cup (2015-16), League Cup (2016-17) and Europa League (2016-17). He became an England international during that time too – earning 32 caps and scoring six goals.
His last season at United included a successful loan spell at West Ham but the midfielder decided to join Nottingham Forest on a free that summer. Lingard has travelled the world since his spell at the City Ground, spending two years at FC Seoul in South Korea before joining Brazilian giants Corinthians on a one-year deal in March.
Jesse Lingard scored the winning goal in the 2015-16 FA Cup final to give Van Gaal silverware
Donald Love
Manchester United debut: 2-1 defeat at Sunderland (Premier League), February 2016
Donald Love made his Red Devils debut during the club’s defensive injury crisis, with the club recalling him from his loan spell at Wigan Athletic as a result. He came on as a second-half substitute for Matteo Darmian in a 2-1 defeat by Sunderland, and was on the losing side five days later when he started during the 2-1 loss at Midtjylland in the Europa League.
He joined the Black Cats in a combined double transfer with Paddy McNair worth £5.5million in August 2016. He was released three years later and has remained playing in the EFL since. The former Scotland U21 international is now at Accrington Stanley in League Two.
Former Scotland Under-21 international Donald Love is now playing for Accrington Stanley
Paddy McNair
Manchester United debut: 2-1 win vs West Ham (Premier League), September 2014
Paddy McNair was an unused substitute in the defeat at MK Dons but made his debut a month later in a 2-1 win over West Ham, starting at centre back due to the club’s injuries. He made 18 appearances in total that season, with his first four all ending in victory. He featured nine times in Van Gaal’s second season before joining Sunderland with Love.
The 30-year-old has become a mainstay in the Northern Ireland set-up, playing 81 times for his country. He has spent the majority of his career in the Championship and is now at Hull City – joining in January.
Paddy McNair (right) has become a key part in the Northern Ireland XI since leaving United
Andreas Pereira
Manchester United debut: 4-0 defeat at MK Dons (League Cup), August 2014
Not as fruitful a career as Lingard’s, Andreas Pereira did establish himself as a Premier League midfielder though. The Brazilian on at half-time for Janko in that galling loss to MK Dons for his United debut, but – unlike many others – that wasn’t the end of his Old Trafford career. He only made one appearance in 2014-15 and then 11 in 2015-16 before spending time out on loan in Spain for the next two campaigns (Granada – 2016-17 and Valencia – 2017-18).
Pereira returned to the United fold across 2018-19 and 2019-20, making 62 appearances in that period. However, he then spent the next couple of years on loan again at Lazio (2020-21) and Flamengo (2021 and 2022) before signing for Fulham in a £10m transfer.
His three successful years at Craven Cottage ended with a surprise return to Brazil. He’s now at Palmeiras in his homeland after leaving Fulham in August 2025.
Andreas Pereira is playing in his homeland of Brazil – having joined Palmeiras in August 2025
Regan Poole
Manchester United debut: 5-1 win vs Midtjylland (Europa League), February 2016
Regan Poole’s only appearance was a second-half substitute in stoppage time in a match that made the name of another Man United youngster – the club’s 5-1 home win over Midtjylland. He was released by United at the end of the 2018-19 season but has since made a career for himself in the Football League.
The 27-year-old, who has one Wales cap to his name, currently plays for Portsmouth in the Championship.
Regan Poole (bottom) is currently playing for Portsmouth and has represented Wales once
Marcus Rashford
Manchester United debut: 5-1 win vs Midtjylland (Europa League), February 2016
The most successful name on this list, Marcus Rashford only made his debut against Midtjylland due to an injury to Anthony Martial in the warm-up and Will Keane having to pull out at the last minute. The then-18-year-old truly announced himself though, scoring twice in a 5-1 win. He followed that up days later with a brace and an assist as injury-hit United stunned Arsenal 3-2 in the Premier League. Just a few weeks later he would score the matchwinner in a 1-0 victory at Manchester City too.
His debut term ended with 18 appearances and eight goals and FA Cup glory, while also making his England debut and being part of their Euro 2016 squad.
The forward has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances during 10 seasons at United, winning two FA Cups (the other being 2023-24), two League Cups (2016-17 and 2022-23) and a Europa League (2016-17) for his major honours haul.
Despite the good times, there have been tough ones too with Rashford spending the second half of last season on loan at Aston Villa after falling out with former United boss Ruben Amorim. He’s currently on a season-long loan at Barcelona – with the Spanish giants keen to make it a permanent deal in the future.
Marcus Rashford is currently on loan at Barcelona with he and the club hoping to make it a permanent transfer
Joe Riley
Manchester United debut: 3-0 win at Shrewsbury Town (FA Cup), February 2016
Making his Red Devils debut as a half-time substitute for Borthwick-Jackson, Joe Riley made his one and only start for the club a few days later in the Europa League at Midtjylland with Chris Smalling out injured.
He spent the next two seasons on loan in League One at Sheffield United and Bradford City before signing for the latter permanently on a two-year deal in May 2018. He now plays for Tamworth in the National League.
Joe Riley made two appearances for the Red Devils in 2015-16 and is now playing for Tamworth
Tom Thorpe
Manchester United debut: 2-1 win vs West Ham (Premier League), September 2014
The Manchester United academy graduate only played 111 seconds for the club – coming on as a late substitute for Angel di Maria against West Ham in September 2014. Tom Thorpe was released at the end of that 2014-15 season, joining Rotherham on a two-year deal.
Now 33, he has been without a club since leaving non-league outfit Stalybridge Celtic in November 2023.
Tom Thorpe made a brief cameo against West Ham and has been without a club since 2023
James Weir
Manchester United debut: 3-2 win vs Arsenal (Premier League), February 2016
James Weir’s sole appearance for Manchester United was as second-half stoppage-time substitute in the win over Arsenal. That season he was an unused substitute a further seven times.
James Weir (left) came on briefly against Arsenal and is now retired, becoming a travel agent
He joined Hull City in August 2016, despite being offered a new deal at Old Trafford, but only made seven appearances in three years at the club – which included a loan spell at Wigan.
Weir would later join Bolton, but then spent the next part of his career abroad – playing in Slovakia, Hungary and back in Slovakia. In February 2024 he announced his retirement at the age of 28 due to injuries and turned his hand to becoming an independent travel agent for players, families and agents.
