Young Northern Ireland midfielder Gibson will be hoping to follow MacIlroy, Whiteside and Best into United folklore...
Born in Derry, central midfielder Gibson signed pro-forms with United in 2004 before making his debut in a League Cup tie with Barnet a year later.
Like many of United's youngsters in recent times, Gibson has spent a spell on loan at Royal Antwerp, playing 33 times in the 2006/07 season, before playing 21 times the following season while on loan to Championship side Wolves.
Gibson slowly started to edge closer to the first team in 2008/09 - scoring his first senior goal against Southampton in the FA Cup third round and following that up with a fifth round strike in a superb performance at Derby.
At times his performances have suffered for being forced to play out of position wide on the left or right flank, but his Carrick-esque range of passing and Scholes-like willingness to shoot on sight from distance could see him cement a place in United's central midfield in years to come.