Where are they now? Man Utd’s 15 wonderkids from Football Manager 2015
As we now approach the 10-year anniversary of Football Manager 2015, we thought it would only be right to check in on Manchester United’s 15 wonderkids from that game and see where they are now.
United were going through a huge transition around the release of the game as Louis van Gaal had replaced David Moyes after the club’s horrendous first post-Ferguson season.
While United did have an ageing squad at the time, they also had plenty of exciting youngsters coming through the ranks. Here are Man Utd’s 15 wonderkids from Football Manager 2014 and where they are today.
Vanja Milinkovic-Savic
While Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is seemingly Manchester United’s answer to Leandro Damiao to Tottenham – an ever-present of every summer’s rumour mill – they have already signed, and sold, his brother.
United spent €1.75million to sign Vanja from FK Vojvodina in 2014, with the goalkeeper remaining at the Serbian outfit on loan for the following season.
Work permit complications saw the stopper released in November 2015, and he’s now a regular for Serie A side Torino and the Serbia national team.
Joel Pereira
Pereira made the first of three senior appearances under Mourinho against Wigan in January 2017, replacing Sergio Romero in the 80th minute.
“We have a third goalkeeper that I think will be the best Portuguese goalkeeper of the next generation so anyone in goal I trust completely,” Mourinho said in 2017.
The 28-year-old left United in the summer of 2021 and played briefly for Eredivisie club RKC Waalwijk; one of his two 2022-23 appearances was a 6-1 defeat to NEC Nijmegen.
He’s now playing in League One with Reading.
Timothy Fosu-Mensah
The hype around Fosu-Mensah was real and for a short while it looked justified after he broke through under Louis van Gaal.
A series of unfortunate loans to Crystal Palace and Fulham didn’t quite go his way, tearing his cruciate ligament at the latter, and after a few more appearances for United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, he joined Bayer Leverkusen in January 2021, but again suffered another cruciate ligament injury.
The versatile Dutchman, now 26, is currently a free agent having not played a single minute of football in 2023-24 before leaving the German champions.
Luke Shaw
After shining at Southampton, Shaw made a £30million move to Manchester United in the summer of 2014 and the signing was celebrated by the supporters as a sign of the club’s ambition to recapture their glory days.
Despite several injuries, it’s hard to argue that the left-back hasn’t fulfilled his potential. An excellent operator, Shaw remains at Old Trafford to this day and has also won 34 caps for England.
Even in 2024, United are a much better side when Shaw is bombing down the left flank. It does remain to be seen whether the incoming Ruben Amorim persists with the 29-year-old, but this was one rating that Football Manager got spot on.
Saidy Janko
Janko was one of only three signings made by Moyes in the summer of 2013. The Swiss defender won the Reserve Player of the Year award in his first season at the club, but only went on to make one senior appearance.
After short spells in France, Portugal, Spain and Germany, the defender is now back in his home country and is playing for Young Boys.
Ben Pearson
If you are looking for the ultimate wind-up merchant then look no further. Pearson won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2012–13 but found first-team opportunities hard to come by.
He spent a large chunk of his career with Preston North End where he quickly garnered a reputation for himself as a tough tackling holding midfielder.
He eventually got his chance in the Premier League with Bournemouth before linking up with former Preston manager Alex Neil at Stoke.
Pearson remains at Stoke in 2024, but has missed the start of the current campaign with injury and there are rumours he may leave the club in the January transfer window.
Nick Powell
Man Utd saw enough in Powell as a youngster to splash £6million on him back in 2012. “We hope Powell fills Paul Scholes’ boots. For an 18-year-old boy it has been a terrific day,” Ferguson said after the midfielder scored on his United debut.
In the end, the midfielder struggled to live up to those lofty expectations and he instead spent the majority of his career playing in the EFL.
After a four-year stint with Stoke City, he now plays for upwardly mobile Stockport County in League One.
READ: Remembering Nick Powell’s right man, wrong time spell at Man Utd
Joe Rothwell
Rothwell joined United as a six-year-old but never managed to make a senior appearance. His talents became clear while playing for Oxford United in League One and he then took his game to the next level with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.
The 29-year-old is a smooth operator in the middle of the park and now turns out for Leeds United, on loan from Bournemouth, and is aiming to help the Yorkshire giants return to the Premier League.
READ NEXT: Where are they now? The 11 signings Jose Mourinho made as Man Utd boss
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Demetri Mitchell
Mitchell advanced through the Man Utd youth ranks as a left-back, but he’s become a more advanced player since leaving the club in 2020.
The 27-year-old played a noteworthy role in Blackpool’s promotion from League One in 2020-21 and also spent time in Scotland with Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibs.
He’s now at Exeter City and scored on his return from a long-term injury during their EFL Trophy win over Bristol Rovers in October 2024.
“It’s a great night just to be back playing with the lads,” Mitchell told BBC Radio Devon. “There were a lot of new teammates that I’ve not played with.
“Just to be touching the pitch on a game day is a special moment for me, not just the goal but just to be out there.”
Adnan Januzaj
The hype surrounding Januzaj went into overdrive around 2014. Given the winger’s technical skills, it was hard not to get carried away.
After a noteworthy breakthrough season in 2013–14, the Belgian youngster started to slip down the pecking order under Louis van Gaal and he was subsequently sent out on loan.
While he didn’t prove to be the star Man Utd fans had hoped for, he has crafted a successful career since leaving England. Januzaj enjoyed a successful spell with Real Sociedad and now plays for Las Palmas, on loan from Sevilla.
Andreas Pereira
Pereira was often a bit-part player at Old Trafford, but he did manage to get a regular run of games in 2019–20. Following several loan spells, the Brazilian playmaker made a permanent exit in 2022 to join Fulham.
From Pereira’s perspective, the switch to Craven Cottage was a wise decision. Marco Silva has got the best out of him and he seems to be enjoying his football more than ever in an attacking side.
Marcus Rashford
Rashford was only given a potential rating of 70 by the Football Manager boffins in the 2015 game.
And while he’s underperformed recently, it’s safe to say he’s been one of United’s best players of the post-Ferguson era.
QUIZ: Can you name every club Marcus Rashford has scored against for Man Utd?
James Wilson
Wilson burst onto the scene by scoring two goals on his Premier League debut. The hype quickly went into overdrive, but Wilson’s United career eventually fizzled out.
He’s instead enjoyed his days playing in the Football League and now turns out for Northampton Town in League One.
“If people want to say I am a failure, they can have that opinion, but all that I can say is that I am working so hard week in, week out to try to get my career back to what it was,” Wilson told the Daily Mail in 2022.
“If I had advice for my younger self, it would be to enjoy your football. I didn’t realise it at the time as I came through so young.”
Angelo Henriquez
“Angelo fits the profile of a United player – skilful, attacking and someone who plays the game with real flair,” Ferguson said of Henriquez when he signed for the club in 2012.
The forward didn’t manage to make much of an impact in English football though as all eight of his appearances in England came while out on loan with Wigan.
These days you can catch the 30-year-old forward playing in Greece for Lamia.