Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjear has said some of the younger players at the Red Devils will be given a chance to shine in pre-season, before sending a selection out on loan.
League One outfit Sunderland have been adversely affected by this revelation, with manager Lee Johnson eager to bring in 20-year-old Northern Irish international Ethan Galbraith on loan ahead of their 2021/22 campaign where they will be hoping to win promotion at the fourth attempt.
However, the Black Cats have only made one signing so far in the form of Alex Pritchard - and with important players including Charlie Wyke, Grant Leadbitter and Max Power already leaving the Stadium of Light this summer - it's clear they will need at least a few more signings to come in if they want to be anywhere near the fourth place they achieved last season.
Leadbitter, Power, Josh Scowen and George Dobson's moves away from the Wearside club in recent months have made the central midfield area a top priority this summer, but they may have to wait a few weeks longer to secure Galbraith as Manchester United boss Solskjear awaits the return of some of his key players from the European Championships.
In the meantime, the Norwegian is looking to take advantage of this extended time with some of his more inexperienced squad members.
Speaking to United's official website, he said: "The young kids will definitely be part of the Derby game and then we’ve got another couple of games coming up and they can be part of it.
"Gradually, more and more players from the Euros will join in. They’ll get a taste of some football.
"Then roundabouts early August, some will go on loan. We’ve already lined up a few and some of them are still in discussions between us and the players about where is the best place to go."
The Verdict:
It just shows you how much of an impact the European Championships can have on the lower leagues, even when none of their players are participating in the tournament.
Preston North End are currently enduring the same situation with goalkeeper Daniel Iverson, with Leicester City waiting for the return of both Danny Ward and Kasper Schmeichel before sending them out on loan.
But for Sunderland, this latest news is a bit of a blow considering how little transfer business they have done so far in what could be a crucial summer.
They won't want to spend much longer in the third tier but will need to get their skates on if they want more new signings settled into the first team before the start of the campaign, something that will be key to a quick start.
If they can't get this quick start, it could potentially be costly for their promotion hopes. The next few weeks for them will be crucial - and they will be hoping to get Galbraith in as soon as possible.