Former United coach eyeing ambitious swoop for the latest Carrington wonderkid, fans will be livid – report

Manchester United crashed out of the FA Cup after losing their third round tie against Brighton and Hove Albion 1-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday. It was a disappointing defeat considering the Seagulls rotated for the encounter, while interim boss Darren Fletcher picked a very attacking lineup. Despite the presence of so many attacking midfielders behind Benjamin Sesko, the attack lacked fluidity, while the defence keeps conceding from almost every attack. One of the rare highlights from the game was academy ace Shea Lacey, whose introduction in the second half helped the hosts up the tempo. Unlucky red card for Shea Lacey However, he was shown a yellow card late on, and subsequently, his frustration boiled over and the referee showed him a second yellow. The referee could have opted to show leniency considering he is only 18 and the game was almost over, a point Fletcher made at the end of the game. The Liverpool-born youngster has since apologised for his conduct, but he is set to miss the Manchester derby at the weekend. Despite a few encouraging cameos, his chances are expected to be limited moving forward following the impending return of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad from AFCON. Ipswich eyeing loan swoop Which is why, as per SportsBoom, Ipswich Town are targeting an ambitious loan swoop for the England U20 international. Former United assistant coach Kieran Mckenna knows the Carrington graduate well, and could offer him regular minutes and a chance to develop at a rapid pace by playing senior competitive football. “Ipswich Town are looking to persuade Manchester United that a spell on loan at Portman Road is best for Shea Lacey’s long-term development following the teenager’s sending-off during last weekend’s FA Cup defeat by Brighton and Hove Albion, SportsBoom can reveal. “Although neither interim head coach Darren Fletcher nor his mooted replacement Michael Carrick are sold on the idea of sending the youngster out on loan in order to accelerate his development, Town chief Kieran McKenna is contemplating what would be an audacious bid for one of the most exciting talents to breakthrough at the 13-time Premier League champions in recent years. Lack of minutes likely for Shea Lacey “Lacey’s preference is also to remain at United after making three senior appearances since graduating from their youth academy. “However, the prospect of working with McKenna, a former United youth team coach, would appeal if Carrick, who is expected to replace Fletcher as caretaker shortly, decides to utilise more tried and tested options in an attempt to rescue what has already been a miserable season in the North-West.” But whether Michael Carrick, expected to take charge as caretaker, or INEOS will agree to this proposal remains to be seen. Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25