Ruben Amorim may face Man United recall question - it’s not Sheffield Wednesday’s Harry Amass | OneFootball

League Two holds a more intriguing Red Devils transfer narrative

Manchester United have an uncanny ability to shape the narrative of the English Football League without ever setting foot in it.

Even before January arrives, the ripple effects of Old Trafford decision-making are already being felt across the divisions, as young loanees become proxies for bigger debates about development, patience and trust.

The loudest of those conversations has centered on Harry Amass, following comments from Ruben Amorim suggesting the teenage left-back was “struggling” during his loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday.

For a player still learning the rhythms of senior football at a club in crisis - and performing well, the remark felt unusually blunt. It inevitably prompted speculation about a recall or a reshuffle elsewhere in the loan system.

Conversations also follow Toby Collyer, who has been recalled from West Bromwich Albion to Old Trafford following injury, but is expected to leave on loan again.

But while attention has been fixed elsewhere, a quieter, arguably more instructive case is unfolding.

Down in League Two, Ethan Ennis is building a body of work at Fleetwood Town that poses a different kind of problem for Manchester United.

The lesser known Manchester United loanee who’s thriving at Fleetwood Town

At 21, Ethan Ennis is further along the pathway than Amass, and his loan reflects that. Fleetwood is not a glamour posting, but it is a serious footballing education.

Pete Wild’s side play with intensity and responsibility, and Ennis has been trusted as a regular starter rather than a developmental extra.

The raw numbers do not scream stardom: one goal and two assists across his league appearances, modest shot volumes and a goal contribution roughly every thousand minutes. Look closer, though, and a more convincing picture emerges.

Ennis is among Fleetwood’s most consistent creators, producing a healthy expected assists figure, regularly delivering from wide areas and ranking highly for chances created.

His crossing volume is significant, his dribble success rate solid, and his defensive contribution - tackles, recoveries, duels - suggests a winger learning the less glamorous side of the men’s game.

Crucially, this is not passive football - Ennis is involved. He touches the ball often, he takes responsibility in the final third, and he is trusted to recover possession and track runners.

These are the details that matter on loan, even if they do not always translate neatly into highlight clips.

Ruben Amorim’s options for promising Manchester United prospect

This is where the recall conversation becomes interesting. United supporters, increasingly attuned to loan performances, have begun to ask whether Ennis should be tested at a higher level.

It is an understandable instinct. If a player is coping well in League Two, surely League One - or even the Championship - should follow.

But loans are not linear ladders. Fleetwood are competitive, structured and, as things stand, hovering around the play-off picture.

Ennis is shaping games. He has supplied decisive crosses, produced big moments in cup competition and earned the public backing of his manager.

That environment is often exactly where a player sharpens.

A recall risks breaking that rhythm. Moving Ennis mid-season would mean adaptation all over again: new patterns, new teammates, new demands. That can be valuable, but it can also dilute momentum.

United’s academy strategy has long been about exposure rather than acceleration. Ennis, once highlighted as one of the club’s brightest prospects after arriving from Liverpool, is now in the phase where consistency matters more than escalation.

The question for Amorim and the recruitment staff is whether progression is best served by climbing divisions, or by mastering one with the Fishermen.

Compared to the Amass situation - a teenager navigating scrutiny in a chaotic environment - Ennis represents a quieter success story. There is no urgency, no damage control required. Just a player learning his trade, contributing weekly, and understanding what it takes to influence senior football.

Sometimes the smartest move in January is to do nothing at all - and it'd surely be a move that Fleetwood would welcome.