The 27-year-old has now been a free agent for more than a year after being sold to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in 2021. The Ajax youth product made his breakthrough at Old Trafford, where he graduated from the academy and made 30 first-team appearances but now his career is in limbo ahead of the new season.
Stoke City and Middlesbrough were offered Fosu-Mensah last season but nothing came from either side. The midfielder spoke recently about his struggles and how hard he is working behind the scenes to secure a return to professional football.
"There was a couple of situations with agents here and there, which was a bit of a mess," he said. "People were speaking on my name who I never even had contact with.
"I would say like 80 per cent of the agents who were approaching clubs and people I didn’t even know, who I didn’t even had contact with. I think that was a big mess."
“Some of them (Championship clubs) I was aware of, some of them I wasn’t,” Fosu-Mensah added.
“Last season was the first time in my career that I’ve spent without a team,” Fosu-Mensah said. “At this age it’s quite early and I think quite strange for people.
“I know I’ve been working hard and hard work won’t go unnoticed. That’s what I believe.
“If you stay at home, you do nothing and then you think ‘boom, OK, I’m going to go this club or that club’, no, that’s not how it works, that’s not my mentality. It’s definitely a fresh start and I’ve been working hard.”
Fosu-Mensah’s last competitive appearance came in April 2023 but with his current fitness regime and consistent work off the pitch he may make his return in the coming months when the season restarts despite his constant setbacks.