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David Moyes is soaking everything up in his first few days at Manchester United’s Carrington training ground.

There are a mixture of private engagements with players and staff, the meal with Sir Bobby Charlton to learn more about the history of the club, meetings with his new PA (who had worked for David Gill), scouts, coaches, both the ones who’ve stayed at the club and the new team he’s brought in from Everton. He’s not got long before United fly to Thailand next week for the first stage of a three and a half week tour which will take in games in Bangkok, Sydney, Yokohama, Osaka, Hong Kong and Stockholm.

Moyes will decide which United youngsters to take on tour. Two stand out.

The best young player at United, and by some distance, is Adnan Januzaj, an 18-year-old Kosovo-born Belgian who was recommended to the club by Patrice Evra.

He was voted United’s reserve player of the year after stepping up from the youth ranks. Barcelona, who jealousy guard their own emerging youngsters from British teams who are able to offer them a contract a year earlier, enquired about Januzaj, an attacking midfielder or forward, in May. That was the month he was on the United bench for Sir Alex Ferguson’s final ever game at West Bromwich Albion.

Two days before Ferguson announced his retirement, Januzaj played in the first Barclays U21 Premier League final against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford, starring in a side which came from 2-0 down to win 3-2. Januzaj is slight, but he won headers against a much bigger opponent, Spurs’ captain Grant Hall, in his role as a lone striker. It’s his technique, his eye for a forward pass which sets him apart and the Catalan interest made United improve the terms for a player they signed from Anderlecht two years ago.

The second player is Chilean forward Angelo Henriquez, 19, who already has the number 21 shirt. He signed from Universidad de Chile a year ago for a fee reported locally as £3 million. He was loaned to Wigan in January, where he impressed all with his attitude, professionalism, sharpness on the pitch less than a year after moving to the other side of the world. A striker who plays off the shoulder like Chicharito, he made a goalscoring Premier League debut when still 18. Of his maturity, the Wigan coach commented: “He plays like someone five years older. Even though he wasn’t at United long, he’s also got that United gene – he’s a winner. Tom Cleverley had it. Other players would be lounging around before training, but Henriquez would be in the gym stretching.”

Small details matter. He would knock on the kitman’s door and ask politely for socks. He spoke almost flawless English. Regular gym sessions with Franco di Santo helped build up his core strength.

Neither he nor Januzaj are walking straight into United’s first team, but they’re exciting prospects.

United fans have heard it all before. Ravel Morrison, Paul Pogba and Zeki Fryers were all rated outstanding and all left Old Trafford. Guiseppe Rossi remains the best reserve player seen at Old Trafford in the last decade, a player who stood out in a team with Gerard Pique, but he too left for more chance of first team action.

Henriquez and Januzaj are helping themselves with their professionalism, something Morrison didn’t do, but they’ll need to be patient and that’s hard for a young player, especially if he has an agent in his ear telling him that he’s got a better chance of first team football and a far bigger contract at a smaller club.

It’s a theme which runs through football.

United are not a smaller club than Barcelona, but are chasing Barcelona’s brilliant young midfielder Thiago. The player has been reluctant to leave Camp Nou, but he wants to play. United have offered him the one thing he desires, time on a pitch. Plus a far bigger contract. Does he take that and leave his family, a club and a city he loves?

Thiago is being told to be patient, that he’ll become a regular. Sir Alex Ferguson said exactly the same to Pogba, Rossi et al.

The big clubs have the huge squads to deal with injuries and 60 games a season, but it’s harder than ever to sate the demands of players who want to play. You hope that Henriquez and Januzaj rise to the top, but, sadly, the odds are still against them doing so at Old Trafford.