‘Unlucky’ Ravel Morrison could have become nearly as good as Messi or Ronaldo, says his ex-Man Utd teammate

Ex-Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison could have been nearly as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, according to former teammate Joshua King.

Morrison, now at Sheffield United, came through the academy at Manchester United and was hoped to be a leading midfielder for the club in the future.

How good could Ravel Morrison have been? Five things to know…

• Ravel Morrison came through the academy at Manchester United.
• He was tipped to become a leading midfielder for the club for years to come .
• But he made just three senior appearances for the Red Devils before leaving for West Ham United.
• Now 26, Morrison is yet to fulfil his potential and has been followed by controversy.
• But former Man Utd teammate Joshua King believes Morrison could have reached the level below Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

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But he would leave in 2012 just days before his 19th birthday, without making a league appearance for the club, joining West Ham United on a three-and-a-half year deal.

Morrison, now 26, has gone on to represent Birmingham City, Queens Park Rangers, Cardiff City, Lazio, Atlas, Ostersund and Sheffield United but is yet to really settle at a club, struggling to shrug off the high expectations of his early career.

And King, who came through the Manchester United academy with Morrison, believes his former team-mate has been unlucky not to fulfil his potential.

“Easy, Ravel [Morrison],” he told the Guardian when asked about the most talented player he has played with.

“That’s the easiest [question]. If you ask any player at United back then, Ravel was just different class. Ravel could have been the level just below Messi and Ronaldo.

“He’s been unlucky but he’s got a good heart. People have probably got the wrong impression of him. Sometimes when you grow up, it’s rough and you can’t control that but he’s got the biggest heart and he is easily the most talented player I’ve ever played with.”

Morrison has played three games so far for Sheffield United since joining on a one-year deal in the summer, but has managed just 12 minutes of Premier League action.

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Wilder: Morrison can become £50m player for Sheffield United

Despite yet to really stamp himself on the Sheffield United first team, being restricted to Carabao Cup performances and a 12-minute league cameo so far this season, Blades boss Chris Wilder has tipped the midfielder to flourish at Bramall Lane.

“Financially it was a great deal for us,” Wilder said in August, shortly after the signing was announced.

“We are not tied in for two or three years. He’s got the chance, if he succeeds, of improving and lifting.

“At the moment we are at a level where a Ravel Morrison fully firing, playing at the top of his game, is someone we get nowhere near – that’s possibly a £40million, £50million, £60million player.

“There’s definitely something in him, and he does things out of the ordinary, which is what I was after. We are a possession-based team that creates momentum and creates pressure but we’ve never felt we had someone that could do something out of the ordinary.

“He can and hopefully this might be the time he finds a home, enjoys his football and we have a fabulous player on our hands.”