Manchester United have unearthed plenty of talent through their famous academy over the years.

From the days of Paul Scholes to the current batch, including Alejandro Garnacho, the Red Devils have and always will rely on the youth to perform.

The late 2010s didn’t see a huge amount of players make their way from the youth setup to the first team and have long-term success, but one individual stands out.

Whether it has been Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and now Erik ten Hag in charge, the Carrington graduate has been a favourite.

Scott McTominay’s early days at United

Scott McTominay has been United through and through having been on their books since the age of five.

The midfielder continued to develop and climb up the youth ranks, but one thing that didn’t grow was his height, as at 18 years old, the Scotland international stood at just 5 foot 6.

Between then and his debut against Arsenal in 2017, the midfielder grew ten inches, with his physicality being one of his biggest attributes today, as per Pep Guardiola.

While it was Mourinho who gave the midfielder his chance to shine, Solskjaer’s appointment as the United boss was the turning point in McTominay’s career, with the number 39 becoming a key player in the Norwegian’s side – having been dubbed a "physical monster" by the treble winner.

Scott McTominay under Erik ten Hag

Fast forward to the arrival of Ten Hag, and McTominay’s inclusion in the starting XI had decreased significantly, starting just ten matches last season in the league.

This ultimately led to plenty of transfer talk regarding the 27-year-old's future at his boyhood club, with Everton being the favourites to sign him last summer, when he was estimated to be worth around £21m, a £9m decrease from his worth two years prior.

However, this season, the energetic engine has been influential in the final third, with Diogo Dalot calling the midfielder “clutch” for all the late goals he has scored as of late, including the winner against Aston Villa at the weekend.

McTominay

7

Alejandro Garnacho

5

Marcus Rashford

5

Rasmus Hojlund

5

Bruno Fernandes

3

As you can see, McTominay “loves a goal," as per United legend Rio Ferdinand, and he is enjoying his best-scoring Premier League campaign of his career, while also being the club's highest scorer in the top flight.

The addition of goals to his game has boosted his estimated value significantly, with plenty of clubs on the lookout for a midfielder who can affect the game in the final third while also covering multiple midfield roles.

According to CIES Football Observatory, the £60k-per-week ace is estimated to be worth €50m (£43m), meaning United certainly hit the jackpot with the 6 foot 4 maestro.

If Ten Hag did decide to cash in on the academy star this summer, the club would be looking at 100% profit from the sale due to him costing £0, which would provide plenty of funds for summer signings.

Equally, the academy graduate could well stay put at Old Trafford and continue to produce such crucial 'clutch' moments under the Dutchman's watch.