James Overy, a young talent from Manchester United, participated in first-team training for the first time on Wednesday. The Manchester Evening News had reported last summer that Overy was expected to join the academy on a scholarship, with United successfully competing against several Premier League clubs for his signature. Unfortunately, shortly after his arrival, Overy sustained an injury that sidelined him for eight months.
He finally made his Under-18 debut in February and was seen training with the first team at Carrington this week, marking a significant milestone in his career. Overy was part of a large group of young players training at Carrington in preparation for the Chelsea match, alongside Chido Obi, Godwill Kukonki, Harry Amass, James Scanlon, and Jaydan Kamason.
As a right-back, Overy is eligible to represent Australia, England, and Scotland. Following Overy’s debut for the academy, former U18 manager Adam Lawrence spoke about his recovery journey, stating to MUTV: ‘It’s been really hard for James because obviously he’s made the move from Australia and he’s a terrific lad, first of all.’
“But he got injured in pre-season and you can see he’s such a great lad, a great kid and has such good energy and he wanted to be back. A real credit to him because he stayed positive throughout.
“It’s not affected him in terms of his positivity. And listen, it’s obviously disappointing what’s happened in the game, but for him to be back and playing football again is brilliant.”
United’s academy is considered top-tier, with the club’s youth scouts responsible for identifying talented young players who may advance to the first team.
Scholarship agreements are extended to these promising individuals, marking a significant step towards the possibility of receiving a professional contract, which can be finalized at the age of 17.
Overy attracted the attention of Premier League scouts at the age of 15, showcasing his skills while playing for Perth Glory’s first team during a pre-season match against West Ham in the summer of 2023.
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