Manchester United youngster James Overy was pictured in first-team training at Carrington for the first time on Wednesday as he continues his development at the club
Manchester United prospect James Overy made his first appearance in a senior team training session on Wednesday. United secured Overy on a scholarship deal last summer after beating a number of Premier League rivals to his signature.
However, shortly after joining the Red Devils, Overy suffered a significant injury which led to eight months of rehabilitation. The talented youngster debuted for the Under-18s in February and was seen training with Ruben Amorim’s senior squad this week in the latest milestone in his career, the Manchester Evening News reports.
In the lead up to the Premier League clash with Chelsea, Overy joined a cohort of promising players at Carrington, including Chido Obi, Godwill Kukonki, Harry Amass, James Scanlon, and Jaydan Kamason.
Primarily a right-back, Overy is eligible to play for Australia, England, and Scotland on the international stage. Reflecting on Overy’s journey after his academy debut, ex-U18 boss Adam Lawrence praised his attitude during his time off the pitch.
He told MUTV: “It’s been really hard for James because obviously he’s made the move from Australia and he’s a terrific lad, first of all.
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“But he got injured in pre-season and you can see he’s such a great lad, a great kid and has such good energy and he wanted to be back. A real credit to him because he stayed positive throughout.
“It’s not affected him in terms of his positivity. And listen, it’s obviously disappointing what’s happened in the game, but for him to be back and playing football again is brilliant.”
United’s youth setup continues to be renowned as one of the finest, with their scouts on the hunt for young talents capable of stepping up to the senior squad.
Promising youngsters are granted scholarship deals, marking a significant step towards the possibility of clinching a professional contract, which they are eligible to sign from the age of 17.
At just 15, Overy turned heads among Premier League scouts with a standout performance for Perth Glory’s first team in a pre-season friendly against West Ham in the summer of 2023.
Amorim is likely to turn to a number of youngsters when they take on Chelsea on Friday night. The Premier League fixture comes just five days before their season-defining Europa League final vs Tottenham.
The United boss has made no secret that’s where their priorities lie, despite finding themselves in 16th position with just two games to go.
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