Man United 'may be forced to sell Harry Amass' after 'Aston Villa interest'
Man United could be forced to cash in on academy star Harry Amass amid growing financial pressure, according to the club's former chief scout.
Mick Brown, who spent over a decade at Old Trafford during their most successful period and remains very well-connected there, exclusively told Football Insider that United will view the 17-year-old as a sellable asset to bring in pure profit.
This comes after Football Insider revealed that United are not willing to see one of their brightest academy products join another Premier League club amid interest from Aston Villa.
However, the club are now being forced to consider selling a number of their current academy graduates in an attempt to balance the books and avoid a financial rule breach.
Now, Brown has explained that the sale of an academy product may be something the club are forced to consider, with Amass on the list of potential sellable assets.
The left-back is very highly-rated at Old Trafford, but the club's attempts to sign a new left-back and their financial situation could force their hand.
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Brown previously told Football Insider that United would not sell Kobbie Mainoo “under any circumstances” and would consider alternative options amid links with a move to Chelsea.
Now, the former scout who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment and also spent time as the chief scout at Sunderland and Blackburn, insisted that Villa's interest in Amass could tempt the club to cash in despite their previous reluctance.
"There's a young left-back at United, Harry Amass," he told Football Insider.
"There's been a lot of talk about Aston Villa wanting to sign him.
"I've been talking about him for two or three years now, and to me he looks like a young Luke Shaw.
"He's got a lovely touch and left foot, never gets flustered in possession, you don;t find many his age like that.
"Now Villa want to make a bid for him, and at first you think there's no way United will let him go.
"But this business about having to sell to raise money might be an issue.
"Especially when you see the club are making a move to sign a new left-back in the transfer window.
"Harry Amass is very highly-regarded and was on the bench for a few games early in the season.
"But I look at that and wonder, since his pathway could now be blocked, and given the financial issues United have got, they could be forced to let him go."
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