Manchester United have confirmed that one of their most talked-about young players has left the club on loan after a tense and controversial period under Ruben Amorim. The move comes after a public clash of words, a brutal managerial sacking, and growing debate around how United treat their academy talents.
The player at the center of the story is teenage defender Harry Amass, a name that has quietly gained attention this season despite the chaos around him. Manchester United have now agreed to send Amass to Norwich City for the remainder of the campaign, a decision that could shape his future.
Amass spent the first half of the season on loan at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday. While the club struggled near the bottom of the table, the young full-back stood out with consistent performances and maturity beyond his age.
Across 21 appearances for the Owls, Amass impressed with his work rate, ball control, and confidence. Inside the club, there was growing belief that he was ready for the next step, even if results around him were poor.
Sheffield Wednesday were confident they could bring him back for the second half of the season. Talks took place, and the feeling was that continuity would help Amass continue his development in a familiar environment.
However, Manchester United played a key role behind the scenes. United agreed to cover Amass’ loan expenses to guarantee him regular playing time. This move opened the door for Norwich City to make a stronger offer that Sheffield Wednesday could not match.
Although United were open to sending Amass back to South Yorkshire, the final decision was made to allow him to continue his growth at Carrow Road instead. Norwich’s vision and promise of opportunity proved decisive.
After his move was confirmed, Amass spoke openly about why Norwich appealed to him. He said: “I’ve spoken with Ben [Knapper, Norwich sporting director] and the gaffer. They’ve both told me that they’ve been watching me since Sheffield Wednesday and a bit before that, and they’ve liked what they’ve seen.”
The teenager highlighted what the club values in his game, adding: “They like the way that I carry the ball, the way that I am on the ball, the hard work that I show. They spoke to me and said they see that I can do good things here, they believe that it’ll be a benefit for the club and for me, so it should be good both ways.”
Norwich City’s sporting director Ben Knapper also shared his excitement about the deal. Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, he praised Amass’ early impact in senior football.
Knapper said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Harry to the football club. Despite being in the early stages of his professional career, his talent was clear for all to see during an impressive loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday in the first half of the season.”
He made it clear that Norwich believe Amass is ready for the Championship challenge. “He has demonstrated that he is ready to compete and excel at this level, and he’ll bring quality and bolster our left-back position.”
Knapper ended with optimism about the months ahead, saying: “He’s fit and raring to go, and we’re excited to see him contribute to the team and help us climb up the table for the rest of the season.”
While Amass’ future looks positive, his departure cannot be separated from the storm that surrounded Ruben Amorim before his sacking. In one of his final pre-match press conferences ahead of Manchester United’s clash with Bournemouth, Amorim sparked outrage with comments about academy players.
He was responding to criticism over his handling of Kobbie Mainoo, another highly rated youngster who struggled for minutes. What followed was a stunning rant that dragged multiple youth players into the spotlight.
Amorim said: “He [Toby Collyer] played [for the first team]. He’s from the academy. He played here. He went to West Bromwich. He’s not playing. He played for Manchester United. So sometimes it’s not because he’s from the academy or whatever.”
He continued by questioning the progress of others, adding: “It’s the situation, what’s happened. I don’t know what is going to be the future [for Mainoo]. Let’s see after this match. [Harry] Amass is now struggling in the Championship.”
The manager did not stop there, also pointing at another youngster: “Chido [Obi] is not always a starter in under 21s. All these guys played when a lot of people were saying sack the manager!”
Those comments caused shock among fans and players alike. For many, it felt like Amorim had publicly blamed young players during a difficult period at the club.
Amass appeared to respond in his own quiet way. In a now-deleted Instagram story seen by Daily Star Sport, he posted a simple photo of himself holding Sheffield Wednesday’s Player of the Month award. The message was subtle but powerful, and it did not stay online for long.
Amorim later insisted his words were not meant to be negative. He claimed the reaction from the 18-year-olds showed a deeper issue at Manchester United.
“I think is the feeling of entitlement that we have in our club,” Amorim said. “Sometimes strong words is not bad words, sometimes difficult moments is not the bad things for the kids.”
He defended his approach by adding: “We don’t need to be always with accolades in everything in every situation, we are not helping.”
The former manager ended with a warning about modern football culture, saying: “That’s why when you guys talk about a lot of players nowadays that they go against the clubs and everything happened because they feel entitlement. I have that feeling all the time that we need to fight against this feeling.”
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