Who is Shea Lacey? The Man Utd wonderkid dubbed 'Scouse Messi'

Cameron Smith

• 16 Apr 2024 19:00 BST
• 4 min read

Manchester United’s academy stanganted during the latter years of Sir Alex Ferguson’s reign, but their current crop of youngsters are of the highest standard.

Alejandro Garnacho - albeit an Atletico Madrid academy graduate - and Kobbie Mainoo have both made the jump up to senior football recently, and Shea Lacey is expected to follow suit soon.

The talented Man Utd youngster recently signed his first professional contract and he has been touted as a possible future star.

So, who is Lacey and how good can he become?

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What position does Shea Lacey play?

Lacey is a winger who primarily operates on the right flank. He is also able to play on the left, or as an attacking midfielder.

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How good is Shea Lacey?

Lacey is regarded as one of Man Utd’s most promising youngsters and he has been tipped to break into the first-team within the next few years.

The winger has previously been compared to Manchester City’s Phil Foden, with Lacey’s close control and dribbling both of the highest pedigree. As a left-footed player, he typically drifts inside off the right flank and is a constant threat with the ball at his feet.

Just like Foden, Lacey’s technique is sublime and he makes everything look effortless on the pitch. He is frequently seen beating two or three opponents in a single mazy dribble and Lacey is expected to follow in Kobbie Mainoo’s footsteps by becoming a first-team regular at Old Trafford.

Lacey has also been dubbed 'The Scouse Messi' due to his dribbling ability. The Man Utd star was born in Liverpool, but the Red Devils secured his signature as a youngster.

Furthermore, in his first two starts for England’s U17 national team, Lacey scored two goals and provided two assists to announce himself as one of the Three Lions’ most promising young talents.

What clubs are interested in Shea Lacey?

So far, Lacey is yet to attract significant transfer interest from other clubs, although several clubs were monitoring his situation before he signed a scholarship deal in 2023. He has now signed a professional contract with Man Utd and is expected to remain in the Red Devils’ youth teams for the next few years.

When does Shea Lacey’s contract expire?

Lacey signed his first professional contract at Man Utd on 15 April 2024, but the exact length of this deal is currently unknown.

How old is Shea Lacey?

Lacey was born on 14 April 2007. He is 17 years old at the time of writing.

What is Shea Lacey’s Instagram?

Lacey’s Instagram account is @shealacey10. He has 70.4k followers as of April 2024.