Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj Would Benefit from a Loan Move

This time last year, Adnan Januzaj was starting for Manchester United against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. 

It was one of United's biggest games of the season, and Januzaj was picked in the starting XI. They lost 3-1, as they did in most of their big games under David Moyes. But the fact that Januzaj was chosen to start reflected his new status as a rising star.

He was one of United's best players last season, even if it was only his first year with the first team. His emergence was probably one of the reasons Moyes stayed in the job as long as he did.

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But if United were playing Chelsea at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, Januzaj wouldn't be in Louis van Gaal's starting XI. He might not even be in the squad. He was sat in the stands as recently as a week ago as United lost to Southampton.

There's more competition at Old Trafford now. Radamel Falcao and Angel Di Maria have been added to a squad that already included Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata. Van Gaal hasn't yet been able to fit Rooney, Van Persie, Mata, Di Maria and Falcao into the same team, never mind Januzaj.

The 19-year-old has played as a wing-back, a holding midfielder and a striker as he's struggled to find a role in Van Gaal's squad. He's still searching.

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With Van Gaal's injury list starting to clear and United only playing one game a week until the end of the season, it's difficult to see Januzaj getting too many opportunities. 

He's too good for the under-21s. And being sat on the bench, or in the stands, is doing nothing for his development. With four months of the season to go, it's time for Van Gaal to decide whether Januzaj would be better off out on loan.

At the right club, it would allow him to get games and build on the promise he showed last season. Ideally, he would go to a Premier League club and learn to play in the division where United hope he'll be a success in the future.

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Januzaj has the talent, technique and ability to make the grade at United. If he keeps progressing, he'll be good enough to challenge Di Maria, Mata and Rooney for a place in the team. But progress will only come with games. And he's not getting those at Old Trafford at the moment.

A loan move would give Januzaj some vital experience at a stage in his career when it's important he keeps moving forward. And he's not learning anything sat in the stands.