Alejandro Garnacho almost unnoticed on the field, just in time to give head coach Ruben Amorim a speech in the center circle that apologized for a 'ramp season'.
Among the players of Manchester United gathered there after a 2-0 win over Aston Villa on Sunday, Kobbie Mainoo and his teammates were waiting for a round of appreciation at the end of the worst Premier League campaign ever.
It seemed like a world away from the same day last year, May 25, 2024, when United Manchester City defeated in the FA Cup final. The victory that saved Erik ten Hag's task and felt monumental enough to launch an exciting new era with youth in its heart.
Mainoo pose in his beanie -hat in the Wembley -Zon. Garnacho with a flag of Argentina wrapped around its middle, arms folded in front of the cameras, all posture. Rasmus Hojlund and Amad Diallo next to them, who swallow admiration.
Later that evening, the images of Hojlund led the celebrations in the hotel of United in Mayfair, never without a bottle in his hand. Garnacho speaks around with influencer Ishowspeed, still his competition jersey.
The wing player of Argentina scored the opening goal that day and had a hand in the second for Mainoo, making it perfect to a breakthrough season in which they posed for an iconic image, on the advertising boards with Hojlund in Old Trafford during a victory over West Ham in February 2024.
Academic products are worshiped by fans of each team, but especially at United, where the youth has played such an intrinsic part in the history of the club.
So it felt especially sad to see the contrast on Sunday after a difficult season for both young players.
Garnacho was told that he can leave this summer in the aftermath of reactions he and his brother Roberto made after the last defeat of the Europa League against Tottenham in Bilbao last week.
The 20-year-old could not hide his frustration because he was held on the couch for more than 70 minutes when he then spoke with South American media. His brother accused Amorim of 'throwing Garnacho under the bus'.
The United Boss was reluctant to discuss the subject on Sunday, but did not deny that Garnacho played his last game for the club. “He is a Manchester United player,” said Amorim. 'He was not in the team today, but he is a normal player in our club. I have no news about that today. I don't know what will happen in the future. '
Mainoo, also 20, only got off the bank in the 90th minute in Bilbao. He was introduced against Villa during the break and had a hand in the opening goal of Diallo, but he looks lost in Amorim's 3-4-3 system and nor a deep midfield position or one of the number 10 he had on Sunday.
While conversations continue to drag a new contract, the dilemma of how he can regularly play under Amorim and retain a place in England is an important factor.
When Mail Sport revealed in January that both Garnacho and Mainoo could be sold to finance the rebuilding under Amorim, it caused indignation among fans.
If Academy players would generate 100 percent profit according to the rules for financial exhibitions and no small profit, given that United Garnacho and Mainoo appreciates between £ 60-70 million and they are among the lower earners of the club because of their age and contract situations.
It seems like a perverse situation, given how hard football has tried to encourage clubs to cherish home -grown talent, but it is the same reason that United was ready to cash in and sell Scott Mctominay to Napoli last summer. McTominay's role in helping the Italian club to win the Serie A title should serve as a warning to let go of the best young talent.
Yet the exchange of Garnacho and Mainoo would have the feeling that they are selling the silver family. It is not as if United is currently flooded with exciting players. Chelsea is interested in both and Napoli had rejected an offer for Garnacho by United in January. They can now try again and news about Amorim's decision to show him that the door has done nothing to protect its market value.
It has always had the feeling that only one of the two would go this summer, and Garnacho has been a favorite for a while since his uncomfortable relationship with Amorim. It seems that fans can tolerate that more easily than the sale of Mainoo, the local hero born in stockport.
Of the other two, Diallo has become an inviolable under Amorim and appeared on Sunday with the first goal of United against Villa. In the meantime Hojlund continues to struggle and he will leave this summer or loses his status as the most important striker of United.
Ten Hag lost his job for the end of October, because it soon became clear that the magic of Wembley was good and really worn out. Now, 12 months later, the sight of Garnacho and Mainoo is so far from the center of the center.