Erik ten Hag's academy decision is about to pay off at Manchester United

Manchester United kick off their pre-season campaign later today and with the majority of senior players still away on holiday, some of the club's youngsters are set to be given the chance to make an impact.

Erik ten Hag flew his 26-man squad out to Oslo yesterday afternoon, their whistle-stop visit to the Norwegian capital comprising of a meeting with old rivals Leeds United. The Yorkshire club were relegated from the Premier League last season and are undergoing a major shake-up, with Daniel Farke taking charge of his first game.

Leeds may be the ones mixing things up across the board but it is United's squad that looks almost unrecognisable from the one that turned out most weeks last season. Many of Ten Hag's senior players were away on international duty last month and are still enjoying their summer breaks, due to return at some point in the next week.

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The United manager announced his travelling party on Tuesday, with only seven senior names included - one of which is new signing Mason Mount. The majority of this afternoon's players will be academy prospects looking to make the step up, and Ten Hag's meticulous work within the youth set-up may be about to pay dividends.

Since his arrival in Manchester last year, the Dutchman has been keen to align the first team with the academy, overseeing the development of the club's young stars.

“For me, cooperation between all the different departments is crucial to get the right culture in a club," he told Voetbal International in December. "Like at Ajax, when I