Manchester United’s academy continues to be a hotbed for emerging talent, producing players who have gone on to shine both domestically and across Europe.
In recent years, the Red Devils have invested heavily in youth development, with young prospects gaining exposure in Premier League 2 and under-21 competitions, while training alongside first-team stars.
United’s U-21s are set for a behind-closed-doors friendly against Aston Villa, giving the squad valuable game time to maintain their momentum.
The club’s focus on nurturing speed, technique, and tactical awareness has helped several academy graduates make the leap to senior football, either at Old Trafford or elsewhere.
Despite early struggles in the current campaign, United’s commitment to youth remains evident, with promising players making impactful appearances in Premier League 2.
Fans and pundits alike are keeping a keen eye on the pathway from academy to first team, hoping for the next breakthrough star to emerge.
Amid this backdrop, former Manchester United academy talent Deji Sotona has revealed the reasons behind his decision to leave the club.
During the 2019/20 season, Deji Sotona was forging a reputation as one of United’s brightest young prospects.
He scored goals in the club’s FA Youth Cup run in 2020 – but by the time the semi-finals were played in October amid a Covid delay, Sotona had already left the club.
Sotona turned down a three-year contract offer at Manchester United, electing to sign with French side Nice.
Deji Sotona explains that he was convinced to leave Manchester United by former Arsenal rival Patrick Vieira.
Vieira was manager of Nice at the time, and he personally recruited Sotona via a series of phone calls, and promised him first team football.
Speaking to More Than A Match on YouTube, Sotona explained: “I was 17 almost 18. Patrick Vieira called me and told me I’m going to play first team football and he’s got plans for me at the club and stuff.
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“He’s going to develop me into a different kind of player.
“He called me a few times, not only once, had a few conversations. He’s a legend.
“I said ‘I’ve got to make a decision here’, I loved my time at United, rejecting that pro [contract] was not easy.
“Him saying I’m going to play first team football at 17, it’s a dream, I feel like many people would take that.
“United were saying I’m going to train first team, Nice were saying every single day first team guaranteed.”
Sotona made the call to take on the challenge in France, but it did not work out as planned, with Patrick Vieira losing his job within months.
He admitted that training in a first team environment was tough: “As I get there, first day, my first touch of the ball someones clamped me. It was tough.
“Nice were struggling, losing a lot of games, you know what the fans are like there, one home game they attacked the team bus.
“Next morning Patrick Vieira was gone.”
Vieira was replaced by Adrien Ursea, and Sotona said he was quickly frozen out of the club’s first team plans.
“Next manager come in, he’s not having me.
“He don’t even put me on the bench.”
Deji Sotona had a subsequent trial at Chelsea and spent six months with Brentford’s B team on a loan deal.
He has had brief stints at Kilmarnock, Burnley, Boston United and Doncaster Rovers, before resetting at National League side Eastleigh in 2024.
But in his first game of the season, Sotona suffered an ACL injury, and has been out of action ever since.
He is currently in the final stages of his rehab and is a free agent looking to relaunch his career once more.
