Industry sources believe playing attacking midfielder Omari Forson against Fulham could make it more difficult for Manchester United to keep him, according to The Athletic.
The 19-year-old made his first start for the Red Devils in the 2-1 loss to the London club on Saturday at Old Trafford, featuring for 53 minutes.
It was his fourth appearance for Man United this term having come off the bench in the FA Cup games against Wigan Athletic and Newport County.
Forson also made another cameo appearance against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month, but there remains a significant cloud over his future at the Theatre of Dreams.
The teenager is out of contract this summer and is yet to sign the competitive terms that have been offered by the club.
Industry sources noted how playing him at the weekend would hamper Man United on the contractual side, pointing to the fact that it will raise his profile, which could make it more difficult to keep him.
However, the Red Devils would argue that playing him shows there is a clear pathway into the first team for him.
Man United paid a fixed fee under the training and compensation scheme after Forson joined them from Tottenham Hotspur in January 2019.
He was part of the FA Youth Cup-winning side in 2022 and joined the senior squad for pre-season ahead of 2023-24, featuring against Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund.
Forson has remained with the senior squad since then and developed in terms of his athleticism.
Multiple European clubs are monitoring his situation, and it remains to be seen whether Man United can eventually convince him to sign a new deal.
With Rasmus Hojlund still out injured, Forson would likely get more chances to impress as it appears he is ahead of Amad Diallo and Antony right now, and the Red Devils will hope that would convince him to remain with them.
If he opts to move on, Man United would only receive compensation from his next club, and they will be desperate to prevent that from happening given his huge potential.
