Now he is staying, Sir Alex Ferguson has tasked Wayne Rooney with "guiding" young players he hopes will become stars. But, scoring twice for Mexico, Javier Hernandez outshone the English striker at the World Cup
Federico 'Kiko' Macheda set up Hernandez for a brilliant winner at Valencia last month, and caused pandemonium at Old Trafford when he scored a critical late deciding goal on his first-team debut last year - aged just 17
Young Portuguese striker Bebe, whom Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson signed for �7m without having seen him play, is yet to have that kind of impact - but he looks powerful and full of raw technique
To the shock of many, Ferguson tipped Danny Welbeck - who scored a stunning goal on his Premier League debut against Stoke in 2008 - to make England's World Cup squad. He didn't, and is now on loan at Sunderland
Signed from Ole Gunnar Solksjaer's first club Molde last year, Senegal's Mame Biram Diouf is another striker Ferguson has loaned out to another Premier League side - he scored against Arsenal for Blackburn in August
Young French winger Gabriel Obertan has come in for criticism from Manchester United fans who remain unconvinced that, despite his evident skill, the leading light of France's under-21 team is a player of substance
Locally-born highly-rated tricky winger Nicky Ajose - who is on loan at Bury until January and played for England's under-18 side - was rewarded for his fine early-season reserve form with a first team squad number
When Ferguson talks of United's ethos being "all about" identifying potential, he clearly has in mind midfielder Tom Cleverley - one of the best Championship players with Watford last year and currently on loan at Wigan
More than �18m was invested in Brazilian international midfielder Anderson when he signed from Porto in 2007, but he's no Diego Maradona (right) and must prove to Ferguson that he can harness his undoubted energy
The jury is still out on Republic of Ireland midfielder Darron Gibson (left) - but there is no question, as he has proved with some spectacular goals, that he owns long-range shooting skills similar to team-mate Paul Scholes
Much has changed for identical twins Rafael and Fabio Da Silva since this picture was taken; the Brazilian full backs from Rio de Janiero have moved to Manchester and shown they have class, bravery and rich promise
Ever ready to cause a shock in the transfer market, Ferguson snapped up relatively unknown Chris Smalling from Fulham for �10m. The pacy centre-back has impressed at times, but has yet to cement a first-team place
Belfast-born defender Jonny Evans is perhaps a good role model for Smalling: he now has more than 40 first-team appearances for United and is seen as an eventual successor to either Rio Ferdinand or Nemanja Vidic
Evans's highly-rated brother Corry - pictured proudly holding the Premier Reserve League trophy aloft - is a firm fixture around Old Trafford and the versatile defender-cum-midfielder, just 20, is tipped for a bright future
United have a history of 'keeping it in the family'. Here's the son of chief executive David Gill, Oliver, who is a central defender with a tendency for calm that his father no doubt showed in the now-successful Rooney talks
No, it's not Edwin Van Der Sar celebrating United's victory in the 2008 Club World Championship with his son - that's highly-rated young goalkeeper Ben Amos, currently the club's third-choice, smiling with the Dutch stopper
Hugs for Rooney from United team-mates looked to be a thing of the past. But Richie De Laet, a full-back who won reserve player of the season and is now on loan at Sheffield United, shows what the future might hold
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