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Manchester United fans' faith in the academy has improved in recent months and a new study highlights how the club has benefited from promoting from within and giving youngsters a chance.

The CIES Football Observatory has ranked the most experienced Under-23 players in Europe's top five leagues - the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and the Bundesliga - and six United youngsters are included.

Paddy McNair, 21, features in the top five for centre-backs in a group of 25 which includes United targets Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Raphael Varane.

Luke Shaw and Cameron Borthwick-Jackson represent United in the list of full-backs, with Tottenham's Ben Davies the only other British inclusion.

Adnan Januzaj makes the list for midfielders, while summer signings Anthony Martial and Memphis are on the list for forwards.

Louis van Gaal has handed debuts to 14 academy graduates during his time as United manager, with Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard making goalscoring impacts this season.

Borthwick-Jackson and Timothy Fosu-Mensah have flourished at full-back, while academy graduates Axel Tuanzebe, Joe Rothwell and RoShaun Williams have earned promotions to the first-team squad.

How Fosu-Mensah has impressed