Jacob Devaney doesn't lack for confidence. Asked about marking Kieffer Moore — a 6ft 5in forward who's played Championship football for the best part of a decade — the 19-year-old's verdict was direct: "I thought me and Dan dealt with him well... I'll always back myself to come out on top." That's the mentality Manchester United need from their academy if any of them are ever going to make it through.
The context matters here. In Saturday's pre-season friendly against Wrexham in Helsinki, Michael Carrick made 11 changes at half-time and sent out a second half side made entirely of academy products. Devaney was in there, shifted from midfield into centre-back alongside Dan Armer — not the most comfortable assignment for a teenager, but one he clearly relished.
What Carrick is actually doing differently
This isn't just a nice pre-season story. There's a genuine shift in culture at Carrington under Carrick compared to his predecessor. Ruben Amorim repeatedly came under fire for his reluctance to engage with United's youth pipeline, and the under-23s often felt like a separate universe from the first team. Carrick, by contrast, was at academy sessions in the week before the first team even returned to training. Every session.
Devaney noticed. "It's nice that he takes knowledge of what you're doing and he's obviously not afraid to throw the youth in," he said. That visibility from the manager changes things — not just for motivation, but for player development. When youth players know the head coach is watching and willing to use them, the intensity in training shifts.
Whether that translates into genuine first-team opportunities during the competitive season is a separate question. Pre-season cameos against Wrexham are one thing. Premier League minutes are another.
Loan move likely, but the ambition is clear
Devaney spent the second half of last season at St Mirren, making 18 appearances and contributing to their Scottish Premiership survival via a play-off win over Partick Thistle. It was the kind of gritty, meaningful football that actually develops players — not under-21 league fixtures against reserve sides.
He's open to going again. "Whether I have to go on loan again and gain more valuable experience like I did at St Mirren, or whether that be in the building... we'll see what happens." That's a sensible read of his own situation. At 19, he's not forcing his way into Carrick's first XI this season. But a strong loan spell — ideally in the Championship or a competitive top-flight outside England — would sharpen his case significantly.
For United's academy pipeline odds to actually produce something, they need more than a manager who attends training sessions. They need players like Devaney to go out, get tested, and come back better. The attitude is clearly there.
