Why Manchester United should send Tahith Chong on loan in January

Tahith Chong is one of the most highly-rated players at Manchester United and played recently for the first-team.

The 19-year-old Dutch attacker featured for the senior side against FC Astana and Rochdale but couldn’t light it up for the Red Devils.

The youngster cannot be blamed for it all, given that United have struggled this season. Chong has barely featured for the first-team too, after snubbing loan deals in the summer (h/t Metro).

The youngster wanted to fight it out for the wide positions this season, however, the Sun claims that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is contemplating sending Chong out on loan in the winter window.

The Red Devils didn’t make any attacking signings in the summer, however, the 19-year-old needs to leave, even if it is on a short-term deal.

Chong needs regular first-team minutes

Although Solskjaer has promoted youth during his short spell at United, Chong needs to play games regularly to continue his development.

The youngster picked up 20 minutes in the win over Leicester prior to his other appearances this season, but those aren’t enough to ensure his growth.

Training with the first-team does have its benefits but nothing can replace minutes on the pitch.

PSV are interested in landing Chong (h/t Sun), and the Dutch giants could be a great option for the 19-year-old.

The Dutch starlet will find it difficult for first-team minutes at United with Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Daniel James fighting for the starting spots.

Mason Greenwood is also expected to feature more due to the injuries to Martial and Rashford, while James has been excellent since joining from Swansea.

More Manchester United News

• Why Man United should plot a January swoop for Erling Braut Haaland
• Why tying Lindelof down to a long-term deal is good business for Man United
• Why Hakim Ziyech would be a fantastic signing for Manchester United

The best Chong could expect is more starts in the Carabao Cup and possibly in the Europa League too.

However, featuring in league games on a regular basis will help the youngster hone his skills and it will be interesting to see where he could end up in January.

Verdict

Chong’s growth cannot be held back due to a lack of game time. The youngster needs minutes to fulfil his potential, and a six-month deal in January would be ideal for all parties.

The 19-year-old could play regular football for the first-team while United can track his performances consistently.