Manchester United have had a very mixed record with loan players this season, as placing players at clubs is proving very difficult to get right.
You need only look at Jadon Sancho‘s struggles in Germany to see that even when you loan a player out into a situation that’s proven successful for them, sometimes it just doesn’t work out.
So sending other players out on loan into new environments is fraught with even more trouble, and with so many factors involved, there are invariably more misses than hits.
Maxi Oyedele is one of Manchester United’s young players out on loan, and he has had a very tough time during his stint.
Maxi Oyedele loan effectively over
Maxi Oyedele was sent out on loan during the January transfer window to join Forest Green Rovers in League Two.
But his loan was thrown into unexpected circumstances when the manager who signed him, Troy Deeney, was fired just 24 hours after hailing his new signing as a ‘wonderful’ talent and boasted they were ‘extremely lucky’ to sign him.
Oyedele has struggled to win over manager Steve Cotterill. He has played only four matches as a substitute, which have totalled a combined 63 minutes of playing time.
The last of these came on February 17, and according to The Mail, Oyedele’s loan at the club is effectively over.
While he remains registered to Forest Green, he is not expected to turn out for the relegation-threatened side again.
Oyedele has recently been back at Carrington, where he played for Manchester United’s under-21s last Friday.
He even trained with the first team last week, pictured alongside Kobbie Mainoo.
One poor loan and one good loan
This is all just part of the learning process for the 19-year-old midfielder, who is a Poland youth international.
Last season Oyedele had a loan stint at National League side Altrincham, and excelled, scoring four goals in 12 appearances.
He is expected to try again on another loan move next season, which will hopefully go a lot better than his stint at Forest Green.
But some factors, like managerial sackings, are hard to predict, and one of the challenges United face when trying to find the right club for the young talents in need of development.