As well as being one of the most decorated football clubs in history in terms of winning trophies and titles, Manchester United also have a long history of producing some of the best young talent in the world.
From Sir Bobby Charlton and George Best, to David Beckham, Paul Scholes, and Marcus Rashford, the Red Devils have relied on their youth set-up to drive success. The club boasts a proud record of having named at least one graduate of its academy in every single matchday squad for the senior men's team since October 30, 1937.
Such players are perhaps less prominent nowadays, but the club is still producing numerous young stars each season with their latest coming in the form of midfielder Dan Gore.
The 19-year-old is Manchester born and bred and made his Premier League debut on Boxing Day in 2023 against Aston Villa. With the January transfer window now open, there is a chance he could be moving elsewhere for at least some of 2024.
Who is Dan Gore? Age, position, career
Dan Gore is a 19-year-old central midfielder who came through the ranks at Manchester United's famous youth academy.
Previously on the books at Burnley as a teenager, Gore moved to his boyhood club back in 2018 and has since made his way through the age groups at Old Trafford.
That growth culminated in a Premier League debut versus Aston Villa on December 26, 2023 at United's famous home ground, just a few weeks after he was named in the squad to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League. He had previously made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup against Crystal Palace in September of the same year, on the day of his 19th birthday.
Alongside his development at United, Gore has also enjoyed a steady and successful rise with his country. He has now featured in matches for the England Under-16, U18 and U20 squads, making 10 competitive appearances combined whilst netting one goal for the U18 team.
Senior United debut 🔴
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) September 26, 2023
1️⃣9️⃣th birthday 🥳
Dan Gore won't be forgetting tonight in a hurry ❤️#MUFC || #MUAcademy pic.twitter.com/SCXEcLbaD2
Gore also helped the United U21 side win the FA Youth Cup in 2021/22 — a coveted trophy in English youth football — whilst he was also voted the Manchester United U21s Player of the Year for the 2022/23 season, captaining the team for much of the Premier League 2 campaign.
That talent and potential to grow much further in the future has now attracted potential suitors during the January transfer window.
Is Dan Gore leaving Man United?
It's expected that Gore will sign on a loan deal for the remainder of 2023/24 and, according to the Daily Mail, he is set to sign for League One side Port Vale.
According to a report from Football Insider, German giants Borussia Dortmund were primed to make a substantial bid for the Manchester United academy star in the very near future, either to sign Gore in January or at the end of the season.
The Bundesliga side have targeted young English talent in recent seasons, as seen with Jason Sancho and Jude Bellingham, and Gore could be next on the list.
However, Football Insider later reported that United were determined to reject any such offer for a player that is valued highly at the club, including by men's first-team manager Erik ten Hag. Instead, a loan would seem more likely, with clubs from England's second and third tiers said to be interested in signing Gore until the end of the season.
Why Man United could consider selling Dan Gore
Whether or not Manchester United should sell Dan Gore this January, or later in the year, remains a bit of a dilemma.
On one hand, the Red Devils are known for bringing through some of the best youth players in the world and could lose a big talent in Gore. Given United's struggles this season combined with a worrying injury list, he could be given more opportunities in the coming weeks.
However, the fact remains they could be temped by the financial benefits from any sale.
Even with new investment from INEOS via incoming minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United are toeing a very fine line when it comes to financial fair play rules, meaning they have to be very careful in how much they spend. As such, turning down a 'big bid' from Borussia Dortmund or other suitors in 2024 could prove tough if it allows them to raise funds for other targets. With Gore not fully part of the first team just yet, it's likely that United would at least consider his sale given that a transfer fee for an academy product would represent pure profit on their books.
In that scenario, they would likely look to include clauses to sweeten any permanent transfer: for instance, a buyback clause that would allow them to re-sign Gore for a relatively low fee, or one that would see them earn a percentage of any future sale to another club.