Manchester United have been told to seek wisdom from darts sensation Luke Littler over how to handle high-pressure situations.
That’s the view of club legend Jaap Stam, who believes the teenage darts champion and United fan can inspire the next generation of Red Devils stars.
Littler is the biggest draw in darts having won 13 PDC titles and five majors at the age of just 18.
Having won the World Championship and UK Open already in 2025, Littler is well on his way to becoming the world number one in the future.
Stam knows all about silverware having enjoyed a trophy-laden three-year spell at Old Trafford between 1998-2001.
During his time in England, he won three consecutive Premier League titles, as well as the Champions League, FA Cup and the International Cup.
And the Dutchman, regarded as one of the finest centre-backs in top-flight history, is desperate for United’s next crop to have a winning mentality installed in them.
Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have made the transition from the academy to the first-team and, with Ruben Amorim‘s side struggling for consistency, more youngsters could soon be called to action.
Speaking to Swedish news outlet Makthavare, Stam stressed how those in the United academy should take a leaf out of Littler’s book.
He said: “I’ve been so impressed with how Luke Littler has been performing.
“He is doing such an amazing job at a young age and I spoke to him at Old Trafford last season.
“I told him how impressive it was that he can still perform with all the noise and the shouting behind him at tournaments, it’s so hard to have that concentration and that focus.
“I think it’s different for certain personalities in how you approach certain situations and how you deal with that, Luke’s been doing a great job at that.
“For young footballers who are going from the academy to the first team at a big club it can be very difficult.
“You have to think about all the social media attention and pressure put on these players.
“I think it would be good for these young players to talk to Luke about his experience and how he handles high pressure situations.
“I have seen players in the past who go from the academy to the first team and then they seem to struggle.
“It’s so important to have people within the club who can help that transition and make it easier for those young people to handle it and reach their potential.”
United’s FA Cup heartache to Fulham earlier this month proved to be the catalyst for Littler to triumph over James Wade in the 2025 UK Open final.
Since that success, he has won two nights in the Premier League, while also emerging victorious at the Belgian Open in the PDC European Tour.
