Tom Ince has opened up about just how close he came to joining Manchester United, a move that would have seen him follow in his father’s footsteps.

There are several familiar surnames in the youth setup at Manchester United these days, with quite a few current academy players having parents who also played for the club.

Darren Fletcher’s twins both graduated from the academy this season, while Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick each have a son coming through the ranks as well.

It remains to be seen if Kai Rooney or Jacey Carrick will go on to earn professional contracts at Old Trafford, but there’s already plenty of excitement about what they might become down the line.

Tom Ince recalls near miss with United as a youth player

Even before Tom Ince made his name in the Championship, there was a buzz about him from an early age.

Paul Ince, his father, was a key figure in United’s midfield during the early 90s. Known as the ‘Guv’nor,’ he left Old Trafford for Inter Milan before eventually joining Liverpool.

Despite frequent links to United throughout his career, Tom never ended up there. Instead, after coming through Liverpool’s academy, he started out at Blackpool. His career also took him to Hull City, Derby County, Huddersfield Town, Stoke City, Reading and Watford.

Speaking about leaving Tranmere for Liverpool at age 12, Ince shared that United had also shown interest.

Tom Ince’s Record Against Manchester United

Ince faced United six times over his career, starting with a loan spell at Crystal Palace, and came away with just one win to go along with five defeats.

His only victory came in 2017 when Huddersfield Town pulled off a 2-1 win over United.

While he didn’t find the net in any of those matches, Ince did pick up an assist during his time at Reading.

Now back in the Championship, it’s uncertain if he’ll ever line up against United again.