Former Man Utd wonderkid dubbed ‘English Messi’ dreaming of Premier League return while playing in seventh tier

FORMER Manchester United wonderkid Callum Gribbin is still dreaming of a career in the Premier League… four years after leaving Old Trafford.

The attacking midfielder, 25, was once described as “the English Messi” as The Red Devils promoted him to train with the first team from just 16 years of age.

Callum Gribbin spent more than a decade at Manchester UnitedGetty

Gribbin, second from left on bottom row, played alongside Marcus Rashford, second from right on top row, in Man Utd’s youth sideGetty

He was learning from the likes of Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Angel di Maria and manager Louis van Gaal.

He also played for Man Utd‘s U19s and was a team-mate of Marcus Rashford – and in 2014 set up the future England international with a sensational long pass.

But a mixture of mentality problems and injury issues ultimately saw the England U17 star released in 2019 after 11 years at the club.

Speaking to The Athletic, he said: “I have to take some responsibility and say, when I was younger, I didn’t handle myself in the best way. I let myself down massively at times.

“Towards the end of my time at United, I was difficult. I wasn’t getting a chance in the first team and I was unhappy about it. I went into self-destruct and started getting up to the wrong things away from football.

“I was immature and, because I was so talented, I think I relied on it. I abused it over the years. I relied on my talent getting me through all the time.

“So I do think I needed the lesson of getting released. I have grown up so much. Looking back, I see it completely different now from how I did at the time.”

Gribbin joined Sheffield United under Chris Wilder but failed to earn a first-team appearance.

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Gribbin featured for England’s U16s and U17sGetty

GettyHe played for Barrow in League Two but is now with FC United of Manchester[/caption]

It took him dropping down to League Two with Barrow to find game time – and even then he only managed five games.

After a stint with non-league Radcliffe, he is now at FC United of Manchester.

He spent 15 months on the sidelines after rupturing his knee ligaments in January 2023.

But while his decline to the seventh tier of English football would lead many to assume his days at the top level have been and gone, Gribbin remains hopeful of a return to the Premier League.

He added: “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have days when that has come into my head,” he says. “But I’ve always believed in my talent and that I’m too good to give it up.

“If I wasn’t as good as I was, even 10 per cent less, I would have given up. But I see the next 18 months as a massive opportunity to get back to where I need to be.

“Everyone has different career paths and I know for a fact that, if I’m fully fit and playing, people will come to watch. I still believe, honestly, I could make it back to the Premier League.

“So it’s all on me, really.”