United Youngsters Set For Loan Spell

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson intends to send striker Danny Welbeck and midfielder Tom Cleverley on loan to Premier League clubs in the coming season.

Welbeck, 19, set up the winner for Gabriel Obertan in the 1-0 tour victory against Philadelphia Union at Lincoln Financial Field on Wednesday night.

Cleverley, who is a year older, was in from the start after scoring in the defeat of Celtic in Toronto last Friday.

Ferguson believes both players have bright futures but need regular football.

Both went out on loan to second-tier clubs last season, Welbeck to Preston and Cleverley to Watford, and both were sidelined with knee injuries.

Ferguson revealed that Welbeck - a target for Sunderland - is going through a growth spurt.

He said: "This is going to be a big season for Danny because for the last three years he has not had a consistent run of games.

"I sent him to Preston as you know last year. He got an injury almost right away. He only played five games and ended up having an operation on his knee.

"One of the things about Danny that may have caused the injury is that he is still growing. He has a weakness in his legs with the speed he is growing.

"He is about 6ft 2ins and a bit now. He has sprouted up in the last year and a half. So he needs consistent football. He needs to play all the time and that is one of the reasons we are considering sending him on loan again to a premier division team."

Despite being injured, Cleverley was named Watford's player of the year after a loan spell at Leicester the previous season.

Ferguson said: "Tom is a very talented boy. He is going to be a very good footballer. We are also considering putting him on loan to a premier division team.

"He improved tremendously in his spell at Watford last year. He got an unfortunate injury towards the end of last season and was out for a long time.

"He has just come back and can play anywhere in midfield, which is always an advantage."