Manchester United have given Shola Shoretire a new position

There are vacancies to be filled in the Manchester United midfield next season and a surprise candidate could be emerging in academy graduate Shola Shoretire, who has started to thrive in a new role in the academy.

The 18-year-old has played four first-team games already for United, but they have come in attacking positions out wide, an area of the pitch he has played in during his development at the club.

But Shoretire has started the last two games for Neil Wood's Under-23s in a central midfield position and he has thrived in both, starring in games against Leicester City and in Friday's win over Chelsea at Old Trafford.

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In that fixture Shoretire started in central midfield in a 3-4-3, playing alongside Zidane Iqbal in what looked like a very progressive pairing. Shoretire managed to control the midfield, however, and as well linking well with the attack, he showcased his positional discipline in dropping deep to collect possession and drive his team forward.

"We played Shola in a deeper role at Leicester and I thought in the second half [in that game] he was outstanding, in the build-up, getting on the ball, and outstanding in the way he was playing forward passes, driving past players, driving the team," Wood told the Manchester Evening News.

"I wanted to have another look at him there, he’s not played there a lot, it’s a challenge for him and I thought he did really well again. He was really disciplined in his positioning and showed some excellent bits that we know he has."

Part of a youngster's development in age-group football will often involve changes in position and Hannibal Mejbri went through a similar process last season with Wood's team.