Charlie Savage was told to quit Man United last summer, in order to play regular football.
Manchester United have often been known as a hotbed of talent, producing young players who can perform at the highest level. The Old Trafford side have continued that mantra under Erik ten Hag – though the Dutchman has always stressed that the next generation will have to earn their minutes, rather than being handed them on a plate.
One player who looked to be on the verge of a breakthrough around twelve months ago was Charlie Savage. The young midfielder had an excellent pre-season tour in 2022, shining in midfield and really looking like he had what it takes to play for the Red Devils regularly.
Sadly, Savage was never afforded the chance to build on from that momentum due to the sheer quality ahead of him in the pecking order. In 2023’s summer, he’d be sold to Reading for a mere £1m. At the time, it felt like a mistake, though when you sit down and really think about it, the situation was always going to be tough for the young midfielder.
Now, it has been confirmed by Wales manager Rob Page that the starlet was urged to quit the club last summer by Page, in order to play regular first-team football. Savage is now shining in League One for Reading.
Check out what Rob Page said in full here:
“I know what Robbie went through when he left Manchester United years ago to go to Crewe,” said Page, per The Mirror.
“I was in contact with Charlie over the last few months and told him he needed to go out and play competitive football if he wanted a career and if he wanted international football. He took that advice on board, he went to Reading, where he is playing well and scoring goals.
“He was on stand-by with us in September and now he gets the next stage in his development and he deserves it.” Since leaving United, Savage has nailed down a first-team place at League One Reading and scored two goals in 12 appearances.”
You can already tell it was absolutely the right decision to allow Savage to leave. If he were still in Manchester, there’s no chance he’d be playing first-team football right now. Instead, he’s bossing it in League One. Although the 20-year-old is likely setting his sights higher in the long term, this could be the perfect plateau for the young man.
If Savage continues to impress for Reading, there’s a good chance some clubs at a higher level could look to make a move for him in the next year or two.
He’s a player I’ll be keenly keeping an eye on over the next few seasons. Do I think we’ll see him back at Old Trafford? Probably not. Would I be surprised to see him feature in the Premier League in a few years? Very possibly.
Do you think Charlie Savage has what it takes to play at the highest level? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below.
