Blades sign former Man United youth prodigy on one-year deal

Ravel Morrison will make an unlikely Premier League return - after signing for top flight newboys Sheffield United.

The former Manchester United youth sensation had been training with the Blades at their pre-season camp in Portugal, and he has impressed enough to win a one-year contract with the Blades.

Chris Wilder will become the latest manager to try and bring the best out of Morrison, who has moved from club to club since being sold to West Ham by the Red Devils back in 2011/12.

"Ravel is an undoubted talent and we are delighted that we have put together a deal that suits all parties," Wilder told the club's official website. "I've spoken to a number of people about him and it is clear that he has serious ability.

"We are getting a fantastic footballer with a tremendous pedigree and this is a great opportunity for Rav, we believe we can help him get back to the level he wants to be."

The former England U-21 international, who has had stints at a long list of clubs including West Ham, QPR, Lazio and Mexican side Atlas, had been a free agent since leaving Ostersund in Sweden earlier this summer. 

Wilder had previously confirmed that he had chatted with Harry Redknapp, who had Morrison at QPR, regarding the midfielder's 'fantastic ability'. Here's a quick round-up about what well-known figures have had to say about a player tipped to outshine Paul Pogba and Jesse Lingard when he won the 2011 FA Youth Cup with Manchester United. 

What ex-managers and team-mates have said about Ravel Morrison...

Sir Alex Ferguson 

 “He possessed as much natural talent as any youngster we ever signed, but kept getting into trouble. It was very painful to sell him… he could have been a fantastic player. But, over a period of years, the problems off the pitch continued to escalate and we had little option but to cut the cord.”

Gary Neville 

“Ravel Morrison’s ability was just a scandal. He was an unbelievable talent, a Paul Gascoigne-type who could beat men and score some incredible goals. There are few players in central midfield who can beat people – Ravel could drift past them.”

Sam Allardyce 

“He was that good but because of the mental side of his game and his life he couldn’t produce that talent on a regular basis. He was the biggest waste of talent I ever worked with. “We had three months where rabble was the match-winner at West Ham every week.

“Everybody raved about him and there was talk of a new contract and then all of a sudden it went the other way.”

Harry Redknapp

“Sir Alex Ferguson thinks that he was the best young player he has ever had. I could believe that from the time I spent with him at QPR. I liked Ravel. He was a bit wayward but he was not a nasty boy, and a fantastic talent.

“Ravel could be a world-class player, and it is not too late for him, but that desire to maximise your ability has to come from within.

“You can tell players a million times to go and train, to do that bit extra, but they have to have that attitude of being single-minded and not caring what anybody else thinks about them."

Stefano Pioli (Lazio boss during Morrison's stint in Italy)

“Morrison has to work harder. He still doesn’t speak a word of Italian and this has slowed his development and his integration in the squad.”

My contract with @ofk_1996 has finished.

I have not walked out so don’t listen to all the lies that come from these desperate people that will try make a story from anything

I’ve stayed away from all this negative & bad press for years

Leave me alone please 🙏🏼

— ravel morrison (@morrisonravel) June 20, 2019