Man Utd call 16-year-old into first-team training ahead of Aston Villa clash

08 February 2024 , 10:48

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Harry Amass, Toby Collyer and Sam Mather took part in first-team training on Wednesday (Image: Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

16-year-old defender Harry Amass has been spotted training with Manchester United's first-team ahead of their upcoming Premier League game against Aston Villa on Sunday.

Amass joined United from Championship side Watford over the summer, having been with the Hornets since the age of nine, and the left-back has been ever present for Adam Lawrence's U18s so far this campaign.

And the teenager joined fellow academy prospects Toby Collyer and Sam Mather in first-team training at Carrington on Wednesday. United's U18s have won 14 out of 14 Premier League North games this season, with the Guardian reporting that Amass is regarded as one of their biggest young prospects.

The report states that United are 'confident' the likes of Amass, midfielder Jayce Fitzgerald and winger Shea Lacey can follow in the footsteps of recent academy graduates Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho who are now first-team regulars.

Amass has also represented England at age group level and won a youth tournament with the U16s last year. "It was a great experience, playing with the best players in the country and it improves my game," the youngster told Watford's website last March.

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"It's a great challenge. In the first game we played against Cyprus, which was in their home country and we won 3-0. The next game felt like a derby because England v Scotland has a lot of history to it.

"It was a really good game that we won 3-0 again, and there was a big crowd. We played Denmark in the final game, and a win for either team would be enough to win the trophy so it felt like a final, and we won 1-0!

Amass has impressed for Manchester United's U18s this season (John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

"I feel really proud to represent my country. It's what I've wanted to do since I was a kid. It's amazing going out there; playing for your country and making your family proud is a good feeling."

Although Amass never made a senior appearance for Watford, he did make the bench last season when they were beaten 2-0 by Reading in the third round of the FA Cup. "The first-team experience was surreal," he admitted.

"You're playing with footballers you see on TV! I had a couple of training sessions with them and got used to it, and being on the bench and seeing the fans was really good."

Matthew Cooper