I mean is there really that much evidence from United? They are certainly better than most of the top teams, but they are not streets ahead. I suppose people can point to Rashford, Mctominay and now Greenwood over the last 4-5 years getting through. Given that Luke Shaw is 24 though, and Alex Telles can't get a kick, I think it would be a poor move for him. I'm sure he would get lots of loans, but I'm still to see how that really helps that much (and often think younger players can be used as pawns). I can only think if he goes to a United, money will be a big factor, but would say it was a foolish move, given he would be around the 1st team here. I just don't see that next season for him there.
The curveball in this is going abroad. There has been a major leak of talent to German/Dutch teams of younger players. Muniala went recently, Bellingham, Sancho and others have gone. I know we lost a goalkeeper recently but have largely avoided that fate. I know Tottenham lost a couple recently. Chelsea are also losing players. It's very difficult, but in honesty I don't blame the lads at all. If you're not going to get 1st team football, to me go somewhere where you will get that, and have a 3 year contract with a development plan to boot. I suppose the disappointing thing here is he does seem to have that in place, but people's heads get turned.
For the club, I think it's a wake up call really. We obviously avoided this fate with Gordon, and Lewis Gibson who were linked away in a similar way but this is a major kick in the teeth. Brands was meant to be brought in to make us more competitive at academy level, and losing your better younger players for development fees isn't really covered in that. I appreciate Manchester United will have lots of graphs and the like, but Everton really have to start creating a better narrative and giving younger players more exposure. I doubt there will be any sort of assessment taken, as there never is, but questions should probably be asked of this. Are we creating enough pathways for players, and being aggressive enough in recruitment? Are we giving players a compelling enough story.
My own view, is that we have been too reticent in giving younger players chances and it has cost us.
There's of course a wider question here. Which is for all English clubs, who have talented players, but won't put them into the teams, increasingly they will move abroad to get that exposure.