Forget Zirkzee, Man Utd must use Harry Amass to avoid £40m mistake

With the Champions League looming, Manchester United still lack a reliable left‑back after Luke Shaw’s injury‑prone season. A failed bid for Manchester City’s Rayan Ait‑Nouri left the club empty‑handed, prompting manager Michael Carrick to turn to 19‑year‑old Harry Amass as a cheap alternative and avoid another £40m mistake.

United's left‑back dilemma

Luke Shaw started every Premier League match in the 2025/26 campaign and has already featured in both fixtures of the 2026/27 season. United pursued Manchester City’s left‑back Rayan Ait‑Nouri on deadline day, but the deal never materialised. Michael Carrick therefore closed the window without any addition – the first time this has happened since 2019.

With Shaw’s injury record, the club will rely on Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui for cover until at least January, while Lisandro Martinez and Carlos Baleba have been mentioned as emergency left‑back options. Yet a readily available alternative has been ignored: 19‑year‑old Harry Amass, whose prospective move away from Old Trafford collapsed on deadline day. Burnley were in late talks over a loan or permanent deal for the youngster.

Carrick has admitted he was happy with the 19‑year‑old during pre‑season, saying: “His energy, pace and stature make him a fine understudy for Shaw if needed over the coming months.” He believes Amass can provide the necessary competition for Shaw.

Amass spent the first half of last season on loan at Sheffield Wednesday, earning high praise from journalist George Elek. Elek described him as “a proper player with confidence, whose timing of tackles is impeccable and who is willing to get stuck in.”

United’s earlier mishandling of a young left‑back mirrors the current situation. In 2023/24 they let Alvaro Carreras leave on loan to Preston and then Benfica, only for him to become a regular at Benfica before joining Real Madrid for €50m (£43m) last year. The club missed the chance to develop him in‑house.

Daniel Feliciano’s unconventional rise

Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith By  Daniel Feliciano PM GMT+1 – After deciding late that he wanted a career in sports journalism, Daniel worked his way up the ladder in an unconventional manner. He opted against university and contributed as a freelance translator for during transfer windows, while also volunteering on several blog pages to build a portfolio. He later joined Barnet FC’s social‑media team before launching his own website that focused on football and MMA content.

The site led to roles with 90min and Reach PLC, writing for, Daily Record, Daily Express and Manchester Evening News. He then spent two‑and‑a‑half years with Breaking Media covering Everton, Rangers, Leeds and West Ham before becoming Premier League editor at GiveMeSport. A huge MMA fan, he has also appeared on YouTube and podcast content – Add Us Log Another Action.