Manchester United defender Di’Shon Bernard is tearing it up while out on loan away from Old Trafford.
The Red Devils have always been brilliant at developing young talent. From The Class of 92, to more recently, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood. Credit to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who hasn’t shied away from giving youngsters their first-team chances.
For some, though, the pass to success at the Theatre of Dreams is longer than for others. Greenwood would jump straight into the first-team picture in Manchester, while the majority have to work their way up.
Look at Dean Henderson for example. He’s the perfect case-in-point of why the loan system works so wonderfully-well. He’d spend a year at Shrewsbury Town, before kicking it up a notch and spending a couple of seasons with Sheffield United. Now, the Englishman is the best back-up in the world.
One such player who is currently loving life out on loan is Di’Shon Bernard. A defender by trade, the 20-year-old United starlet is impressing massively while out on loan with Salford City.
The young man has played five games for The Ammies, though in his last two, Bernard has kicked it up a notch.
A week ago, Bernard would pick up two assists in a slender victory over Morcambe. In his very next game, Bernard would score his first goal in League Two; a bullet header against Carlisle United.
Check out the brilliant header here:
Unfortunately, it came in vein for Bernard’s Salford side, who’d lose 2-1. However, Bernard himself can hold his head supremely high as he looks to continue impressing while out on loan.
Bernard’s deal with Salford is until January, which tells me United have higher hopes than League Two football for the Englishman. The fact that he’s already made his full debut for the Red Devils, during a Europa League game against Astana, shows you how highly Solskjaer rates him as a player.
So where would Bernard fit in?
For now, it’s about developing and improving at his own pace. If he’s good enough, the chances will start to come. Personally, I’d expect him to be included on United’s pre-season tour in 2021 (provided there is one). Then taking it from there.
Either, he’ll spend a full season out on loan (preferably at a higher level), or come back to United and play a bit-part role in 2021/22. You’ve seen how frequently United’s current crop of centre-halves tend to get injured. Heck, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo are walking sicknotes, while Axel Tuanzebe is also trending down that path.
If Bernard can stay fit, continues to improve and can make a positive impression on the United coaches, I wouldn’t be wholly surprised to see him play plenty of first-team minutes soon enough…
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