Erik ten Hag could unleash Manchester United's best kept secrets on pre-season tour

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer spent roughly £75million on signing five players for Manchester United in the summer of 2020.

Donny van de Beek, Amad, Alex Telles, Facundo Pellistri and Edinson Cavani - the latter on a free transfer - arrived and it's fair to say that summer transfer window isn't remembered with great fondness. There is still hope Amad can vindicate the hefty price tag he commanded but his fellow arrivals are considered poor or disappointing signings and, ironically, the best business that summer was done in the academy set-up.

That's because Alejandro Garnacho, Alvaro Fernandez and Marc Jurado were all signed from Spain and with the benefit of hindsight, were tremendous deals that could look even better in the near future. Although there were strict laws forbidding social gatherings due to the pandemic when those players signed, all three gradually adapted and they were given access to documentaries on the club and Manchester to help them integrate.

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Garnacho was signed from Atletico Madrid, Fernandez from Real Madrid and Jurado from Barcelona. They arrived with pedigree and it became obvious why the club was so keen to lure them to England when they began playing academy matches.

Three years later, Garnacho has established himself in the first-team squad, Fernandez has enjoyed a brilliant season on loan in the Championship and Jurado was named on the bench in a Premier League match against Nottingham Forest in April.

Garnacho has defied expectations this season. The winger surprised academy staff with his effortless, impressive transition into the first-team environment and Fernandez and Juardo have the potential to follow his pathway.

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