Marc Jurado signs for new club two years after Manchester United exit, FA Youth Cup winner's career takes new path

Manchester United have seen two players step up from the FA Youth Cup winning team three years ago. Others have not been as successful.

Amid a terrible 2021/22 season, Manchester United fans were given hope by the rise of the club’s under-18s side, who won the FA Youth Cup.

Within two years, a duo had progressed from FA Youth Cup winners to scoring goals in a FA Cup Final win, with Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho leading the 2024 Wembley victory.

And while some members of the 2022 squad are still working their way up through loan moves, Dan Gore and Radek Vitek, others have already left the club.

One of these was right-back Marc Jurado, who was sold by Manchester United in 2023.

Photo by John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images

Marc Jurado signs for Cartagena

Marc Jurado was a key player for the Youth Cup winners, starring in every game from the right-back position. He even captained United at academy level too.

But as early as summer 2023, Erik ten Hag had decided there was no path for Marc Jurado to progress into his first team.

United sold Jurado to Espanyol, landing only a nominal fee as the bright prospect returned to Spain.

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Jurado went into Espanyol’s B team, before making his debut for the first team two months later.

Beyond that, opportunities were tough to come by for Jurado, and his time with Espanyol has come to an end after two years.

Jurado has now signed on a free transfer for third-tier Spanish side FC Cartagena, penning a two-year deal.

It is an opportunity to start afresh, with Jurado only playing once for Espanyol’s first team, while racking up 62 games for their B team.

Marc Jurado has less success than Alvaro Fernandez

Manchester United signed Marc Jurado in 2020 from Barcelona, as part of a spending spree aimed towards La Liga’s rising talent.

This included signing Alejandro Garnacho from Atletico Madrid and Alvaro Fernandez from Real Madrid.

Jurado was highly regarded at Barcelona, and he was progressing nicely at Manchester United before his sudden exit.

However, since leaving Manchester United he has been unable to show the club were wrong to let him go.

This is very unlike Alvaro Fernandez, his former academy colleague, who has impressed for Benfica and now signed for Real Madrid.

Jurado will now get the chance to play first team football at Cartagena and reset, and he will want to start an upwards trajectory in his career.

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