Manchester United youngsters Charlie Savage and Will Fish both recently spent time training with Ipswich Town’s first team, we understand.
United have developed a unique ‘work experience’ model for their young players. Instead of loaning teenagers out for several months, they initially send them to Football League clubs for a week or two to get an initial feel for an environment away from the elite bubble.
Earlier this season, Joe Hugill and Charlie Wellens (Forest Green), Charlie McNeill and Dillon Hoogewerf (Sheffield Wednesday) and Rhys Bennett and Dermot Mee (AFC Wimbledon) all benefitted from the scheme.
It was perhaps inevitable that Ipswich would become a destination for the next Red Devils duo given the growing links between the two clubs.
Manager Kieran McKenna and his assistant Martyn Pert were recruited from Old Trafford last December, while Sam Williams has followed them as the Blues’ new ‘head of recruitment’.
Savage, 18, is the son of former Welsh international-turned-pundit Robbie.
The box-to-box midfielder made his United debut as a late sub in a Champions League game against Young Boys last December.
Fish, 19, also has one senior United appearance to his name – he came on as late sub on the final day of the 2020/21 Premier Leaue season against Wolves.
The centre-back subsequently joined Stockport County on a season-long loan, but was recalled in January after struggling for game-time at the promotion-chasing National League club.
Speaking about the ‘work experience’ scheme, Manchester United’s head of academy Nick Cox said: “We are always looking to be innovative in order to provide the best experiences for all of our boys.
“This programme enables players to learn new behaviours and witness first-hand the standards of a first-team environment. We know that they will return to Carrington with a renewed sense of purpose that will benefit the individual and the wider training group.”
Manchester United say that the scheme enables their young players to ‘learn just what it takes to perform each week in professional football’ before returning to Carrington to ‘present their experiences to coaches to cement the learning process’.
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