Manchester United to end Cameron Borthwick-Jackson's miserable loan spell at Wolves
Manchester United are hoping to recall Cameron Borthwick-Jackson from his miserable loan spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers next week after growing exasperated at how the young left-back has been frozen out at the Midlands club.
The Telegraph reported last month how United manager Jose Mourinho rejected a bid from Wolves to sign goalkeeper Sam Johnstone on loan after being unhappy at the treatment of Borthwick-Jackson.
Aston Villa have beaten off stiff competition to sign Johnstone on loan for the remainder of the season as United seek to get the 23 year-old, who had also interested Sunderland among others, more playing time.
But Mourinho will hope Johnstone’s loan spell proves more fruitful than Borthwick-Jackson’s experience at Wolves.
Wolves paid a substantial loan fee and a considerable sum in wages to sign the defender last August but he has made just six appearances in the Championship and has not featured for manager Paul Lambert since early November.
Lambert is thought to have some reservations about Borthwick-Jackson’s languid manner but United have high hopes for the 19 year-old and believe his approach is one of the reasons he is comfortable on the ball and largely unfazed by pressure.
Wolves will need to agree to release Borthwick-Jackson although United are hopeful the club will be receptive to that. It would then remain to be seen if United send the defender out on loan to another club for the rest of the season. United expect there to be considerable demand for the player.
Borthwick-Jackson rose to prominence last season under Louis van Gaal, making 14 appearances under the previous manager. Mourinho is an admirer of the player but was keen for him to get regular playing time away from Old Trafford this season, with a view to coming back into the first-team fold in the summer, and has been frustrated at how things have panned out at Wolves.
In an interview with FourFourTwo magazine last month, Borthwick-Jackson said of Mourinho: “I speak to him all the time. He's always keeping eyes on me and he has people watching. When I first came into pre-season I got injured early on, and as I recovered he asked me how I was and things like that. When I came back he said: 'the squad's a bit too big but I see a future for you here' and that I'm a 'top player'. He told me to go out and get some experience."