James Wilson still has Manchester United future but could head out on loan
By Lyall Thomas
Last Updated: 21/07/16 6:58pm
James Wilson's immediate future remains at Manchester United despite him not being included in their pre-season tour to China.
Sky sources understand the 20-year-old striker has been kept in the north-west of England to undergo a gruelling pre-season schedule with U21s head coach Warren Joyce.
Wilson still has four years remaining on the five-year contract he signed in September 2015 but is behind new signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Wayne Rooney, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial for a place up-front.
Wilson could be allowed to go out on loan for regular first-team games later in the transfer window, with several Premier League and a host of Champions League clubs interested in taking him.
Swansea, Hull and West Brom are all reported to be keen while Brighton, for whom he played 28 times and scored five goals on loan last season, would also like to take him again, and Fulham have an interest.
Staffordshire-born Wilson is a United academy graduate first scouted by the club at the age of seven and was handed his senior debut by Ryan Giggs against Hull on May 6, 2014, whilst Giggs was interim charge.
Wilson scored twice along with another from Robin van Persie in a 3-1 win at Old Trafford, and Wilson has since made 19 further appearances, scoring once more.
He was not given a squad number when United announced their provisional numbers on Thursday.
Manchester United travel to Bournemouth in their first Premier League fixture of the new season. Coverage of the game on August 14 begins at 12:30pm on Sky Sports 1 HD