Under the guise of a newly set-up alumni project, Unitedis’s aim to retain connections with its former academy youngsters. Last week’s get-together saw Olosunde and fellow ex-Red Devils team-mates partake in coaching sessions as they look to keep their fitness levels up and get back into the game. However, the five-day camp also included several different elements that allowed the currently out-of-work players to assess their options away from football.

Olosunde, who left United to join Rotherham in 2019, has been without a club since his Preston release at the end of last season. His departure ended a two-year stint that produced just three first-team appearances and one Championship start.

Signed by former boss Frankie McAvoy on a free transfer in the summer of 2021, the right-back picked up an Achilles injury in pre-season that ruled him out until December of that year. McAvoy handed him his Lilywhites debut his a 1-0 defeat to Blackburn on December 4 – but two days later the Scot was sacked as Preston sat 18th in the table.

Olosunde, subsequently, featured just twice under Ryan Lowe, who transfer-listed the defender in the summer of 2022. His last appearance for North End was the 2-1 defeat to Wolves in last season’s EFL Cup on August 23.

READ MORE

Matthew Olosunde didn’t enjoy the best of spells at Preston North End after joining from Rotherham United in 2021. One of a few Frankie McAvoy signings that didn’t work out, along with Connor Wickham and Izzy Brown, Olosunde left the club this summer after just one start in the league.

Despite arriving after a strong couple of seasons with The Millers, the right-back never fitted in at Deepdale and only made one substitute appearance in the league under Ryan Lowe as well as a solitary start in the Carabao Cup.

The American defender has found it hard to find another club, and was recently back training with his first club Manchester United along with other Red Devils alumni who have found themselves in a similar position.

As reported by Manchester Evening News, last week saw the first of planned training sessions for former Manchester United Academy players. United are opening the alumni group up to around 225 former players, which is those who have left since 2012, were registered over the age of 15 or for five years or more.

It will act as a network for players to come together and share their experiences, as well as the opportunity to train and keep fit at Carrington in the hope of earning a contract elsewhere.

It isn’t just for active players though, with the recently retired Danny Drinkwater set to attend last week’s session, but he had to pull out. The sessions will also include advice on a career outside of football.

It’s a great initiative by Manchester United, and perhaps something other top clubs may be able to follow and replicate.

Olosunde was troubled by injuries at Preston, but ultimately it seemed as if he was never given a fair chance as well. Preston weren’t blessed with natural right-backs during his time at the club, but even still his opportunity never came around.

Lowe even tried him in a few other positions in reserve games, and the manager did give him hope in 2022 saying his ‘attitude and application in training had been first class’.

Nevertheless he would only feature once more after that in a cup match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Another player who may be joining in on future sessions with Olosunde is Josh Harrop. The midfielder is currently without a club after an unsuccessful spell with Northampton Town last season.

Harrop showed glimpses of quality at times at North End, but injuries and a lack of consistency didn’t do him any favours. Unlike Olosunde however he did get plenty of chances.

Speaking to the M.E.N, Olosunde explained the bad luck he had in the last couple of years, “”I had a tear in my Achilles, I got that at the beginning of the [2021/22] season unfortunately, which kept me out for a good four months or so.

After that there was a manager change and from there it just didn’t really work out for me, I had little injuries here or there like everyone else does, but that’s just football. I’m hoping to move on from that and continue on with my career.”

Now Olosunde along with other former United players such as Tom Thorpe, and Callum Gribbin can lean on the advice of others and hopefully find a route back into the game, or to another path in their careers.