Manchester, Jan 25 : Young Manchester United striker Ethan Wheatley has joined League Two leaders Walsall on loan for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Ethan became United's landmark 250th Academy graduate after earning his senior debut last April in a home Premier League match against Sheffield United. He has made a further three first-team appearances since.

Wheatley's Old Trafford bow came after a successful few months with the club's Under-18s, who lifted three trophies in as many weeks last spring. Ethan scored a double in the U18 Premier League Cup Final, eight goals in seven games in the league campaign at that age group, and the opening goal of the national league final at Stamford Bridge.

Those performances and his strong development earned him the prestigious Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award. His overall league record at Under-21s level across the last 18 months is 10 goals in 18 games.

Ethan joins Walsall shortly after his 19th birthday, seeking to build on first-team experience at United with another club. Mat Sadler's team has a 12-point lead at the top of the League Two table and a game in hand.

Ethan's departure is not the only one expected to take place at Old Trafford this weekend with photos of forward Antony, who has travelled to Spain, circulating on social media ahead of his reported move to Real Betis on loan until the end of the season. United sources confirm the deal is covering a minimum of 84% of his wages, which are over 1,00,000 pound per week. He remains under contract at United until 2027.

Antony's tenure at Manchester United is coming to an untimely end after the Brazilian joined the Red Devils for a whopping 81.3 million pound in 2022 but did not manage to live up to the price tag which saw him become the side's second-most expensive player behind Paul Pogba.

/IANS