Darts sensation Luke Littler spoke to the MEN about Man Utd, Ruben Amorim, summer transfers and much more.Luke Littler at Old Trafford with the Sid Waddell Trophy.(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)

“Man United 3-0 Athletic Bilbao. Yanited!!!!!,” was written on a sign held up by Luke Littler on Thursday.

Littler held that message as he walked out for the darts Premier League final at Birmingham Arena, not long after the final whistle in Manchester United’s game against Athletic Bilbao.

Just a day earlier, Littler was looking at flights to attend a potential Europa League final.

It’s not a secret that Littler is a United fan, but his deep knowledge and passion for the club came across in no uncertain terms when he spoke to the Manchester Evening News this week.

“When Maguire scored the winner against Lyon, I put on my Instagram, ‘can you wear the No.9 shirt’ and he replied with laughing emojis. But I don’t really speak to them [players],” he said.

“Although I don’t think anyone knows this, I recently messaged Mason Mount on Instagram just to say it was good to see him back in training again. We bought him and thought he’d be great, but he’s had a few injuries. I’d love to see him get into the starting team and score goals.”

Littler has taken darts by storm since a sensational debut at the 2024 World Championships in which he reached the final at just 16 years old. The nation was gripped and Littler has subsequently grown darts exponentially.

A year after his debut at the Worlds, Littler returned to A;exandra Palace and won the tournament, defeating Michael van Gerwen with a display that confirmed he’s a darting phenomenon.

After that breakthrough, United invited Littler to Old Trafford to parade the Sid Waddell Trophy on the pitch. “It was great, apart from the result, a 3-0 loss against Brighton,” said Littler. “I’ve always dreamt of doing that and going there with the biggest trophy in darts, winning it at 17… it was surreal.

“I spoke to a guy at United and he said usually people go have a drink at half-time, but there were still 40,000 people staying in their seats to see the trophy and that was crazy to see.”

David Beckham contacted Littler after his Worlds triumph and he’s planning to visit the United legend at Inter Miami. “Once we’re in New York for the darts, I’ll try to go over,” he said.

“I’ll try to watch a game and try to meet Beckham,” he added, before admitting that it would be fun to meet Inter Miami star Lionel Messi, even as a staunch Cristiano Ronaldo fan.

Littler poses with his trophy at Old Trafford in January. (Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)

Littler has become one of the most recognisable faces in Britain thanks to his extraordinary rise in the last two years, and brands have flocked to collaborate with the Warrington-born lad.

Deliveroo have launched the Luke Littler x Deliveroo Best Kebab Award and the campaign has gone viral. The Golden Kebab Trophy will be handed out to the winner and Manchester locals can have their say in the competition, which will officially crown the nation’s best kebab.

“It’s good to work with them, everyone knows I like a kebab now and again,” explained Littler. “We’ve brought back the Best Kebab Award, and we’ll see who wins it in the north west.

“It’s been good fun bringing it back and hopefully loads of people have got their votes in, and we’ll see who wins the prestigious gold kebab. My order is just a plain kebab, nice and easy.”

Littler’s success has opened doors for varied opportunities, and he visited Carrington last year to play Harry Maguire and Christian Eriksen in a darts challenge. “I’d probably say Eriksen was better than Maguire, he won one of the challenges. But he definitely doesn’t practice,” he laughed.

“I also went to Carrington after my first World Championship [January 2024]. I met the players and met Ten Hag. He was really nice, and I got a signed Garnacho shirt. He was my favourite player at the time and is still one of my favourites now, but I hope I can go back soon.”

Littler has also chatted with Sir Alex Ferguson. “I met Ferguson two times last season and I went back recently. For myself and my dad, who has seen all the glory days, it was surreal,” he said.

“I was just thinking ‘what’s going on?’. Sir Alex has got his own little place [at Old Trafford] where he sits with his friends. He owns a few horses, and we were talking about Bahrain because I was going over for the World Series, and he’s been over there a few times to watch the horses.”

Littler with the ‘The Golden Kebab Trophy’.(Image: Deliveroo)

Littler was just five years old when United last won the Premier League title, but he said: “I do remember watching it at home, and Robin van Persie’s hat-trick against Aston Villa.”

The version of United that Littler has grown up with is chalk and cheese from the club’s former glories, but the 18-year-old still admires several players in a group that has disappointed this season.

“Bruno [Fernandes] is everyone’s favourite,” he said. “If you look at individual performances, Mainoo got a goal against Lyon, but for myself, I love Mazraoui. He was very cheap and he’s done amazing. He’s played left-back, right-back, centre-back and has even played in centre attacking midfield.

“He’s made 50 appearances in his first season and it’s crazy to see. Garnacho is another one, some of his performances haven’t been the best [this season], but we all know what he’s capable of.”

Speaking about this summer, Littler said: “Do you go for one of the bigger players, like Victor Osimhen, or someone like Liam Delap, who has outscored our strikers this season? I don’t think Delap will want to be going back down to the Championship with Ipswich after this season.

“I’d love to see him sign. I’d not like to see Hojlund and Zirkzee dropped, but if they’re not performing, then Amorim might go with Delap. Hojlund struggled to find his first goal in the Premier League, but he started scoring after his first league goal against Villa on Boxing Day [last season].

“He scored a few in the Champions League, but as you said, this season he’s not had the service. He can use both feet, but I wouldn’t love to see him be dropped. I’d still want him in the squad.

“That applies to Zirkzee as well, I think the fans are really starting to enjoy him. He is now fitting in, doing skills, so it was a big shame to see him pick up an injury because he was doing well.”

Littler holds a sign with the United result.(Image: 2025 Getty Images)

Marcus Rashford’s future will also be decided this summer. “Rashford has spent years and years at the club, and he’s obviously needed to go away to Aston Villa on loan in January. He’s been scoring and assisting and we’re wondering where that form was for United,” explained Littler.

“For myself, I’d like to see him back. I watched him score on his Europa League debut when he scored two, then Arsenal on his Premier League debut. I’ve just watched him for years and years.

“He’s obviously getting older, but he’s still got the pace and you can see it at Villa. It worked out for his first few games under Amorim, and he scored against Ipswich. I’d love to see him back.”

When asked about Ruben Amorim, Littler said: “It’s not been up what he would have liked, but I was reading about it the other day and Thomas Tuchel won the Champions League with Chelsea with a back-three and Antonio Conte won the Premier League with Chelsea with a back-three.

“I can’t see why it hasn’t worked. You see the class Tuchel and Conte had in their teams. Next season will be a fresh start, whether we have Europe or not, and then we’ll try get back into the top four.”

Littler has a competitive but respectful rivalry with fellow top darts player Luke Humphries, and Leeds are set to play in the Premier League next season after winning the Championship.

“He’s been chuffed to bits with them coming back up,” he laughed. “I just said to him ‘you’re going back down next year mate, enjoy it while you can’. We just love playing each other, the pace and quality of it.

So is Littler looking forward to United’s games against Leeds? “Easy six points,” he quipped.

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Deliveroo has recruited British darts sensation Luke Littler to reintroduce one of the most iconic award categories back into the collection for it’s 2025 Restaurant Awards – the newly-named Luke Littler x Deliveroo Best Kebab Award.

Voting is open now and closes on the 9th May at deliveroorestaurantawards.com.