Key Stats
Name: Tahith Chong
Date of Birth (Age): Dec 4th, 1999 (20)
Signed: July 1st, 2016
Appearances: 16
Appearances This Season: 12
Assists: 2
Goals: 0
Shots Per Game: (Avg): 0.5
Pass Success (Avg): 79%
Contracted Expires: 30th June, 2022
Analysis
There is no doubt about it, this hasn’t been the breakthrough season that Tahith Chong would have hoped for. Injuries and a contract dispute for much of the season have seen his first team opportunities limited this campaign. He remains a bright talent that is yet to show his full potential in the Manchester United first XI. It always seems that every time he gets his chance in the first team he’s just too eager to try and impress and as a result his game and form seems to suffer. His over eagerness often means his touch will be too heavy, or his passes will go astray and his all-round game looks like it lacks composure. Which is something that if you saw him at youth and reserve level you would know is slightly out of character.
His best performances this season have probably come in the Europa League where he managed to get 2 assists to his name however a first professional goal for United still eludes him. No doubt the highlight of his season was when he put pen to paper on a new deal back in March, keeping him at the club until June 2022. However before signing that contract he looked destined to leave during the winter transfer window, with very strong interest from Juventus in particular. Once he had decided to commit his future to the club and he had recovered from injury we saw him more frequently in the first team squad, but still only featuring sporadically in games.
Overall Season Rating – 5/10
Ambitions For Next Season
His immediate future for next season has already been resolved. He has been loaned out to Werder Bremen to hopefully gain some much needed regular first team football. He’s hit the ground running there too with 3 goals in two friendlies for his new club. I feel it was obvious that United would try and get Chong out on loan this season as that feels like the best next step for his career. It should be a good experience for the young Dutch winger who will be playing at the top level in Germany, the Bundesliga. He has to use this opportunity to learn more about what it takes to become a regular first team player week in week out and use it as a catalyst for him having a successful career at Manchester United.
If he can impress whilst on loan who knows whether he could force himself in to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans a year on from now. That in itself will be a major challenge though given the depth of young talent already in the squad and with United looking to add to it further with the signing of Jadon Sancho in this window. I really hope for Chong’s sake he can have an enjoyable and successful season in Bremen and by doing so he will hopefully be giving United manager, Solskjaer a decision to make this time next summer.
