Man Utd add 18-year-old winger Anthony Elanga to Europa League squad
Manchester United add 18-year-old winger Anthony Elanga to Europa League squad ahead of quarter-final with Granada… with winner of club’s prestigious Jimmy Murphy award aiming to follow in footsteps of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood
- There are high hopes for teenager Anthony Elanga at Manchester United
- Elanga is an old-fashioned winger who uses pace and trickery to get past his man
- After shining in the academy, Elanga has been promoted by the Red Devils
- The 18-year-old has been added to United’s Europa League squad this season
Manchester United have promoted highly-talented teenager Anthony Elanga to their Europa League squad prior to their tie against Granada.
United take on Spanish outfit Granada away on Thursday evening in the first-leg of the Europa League quarter-final, and ahead of the crunch fixture one of the club’s most promising youngsters has been rewarded.
The Red Devils are due to fly to Spain on Wednesday and Sweden youth international Elanga is now the latest youngster in contention for a place in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side as he continues to show faith in youth.
Youngster Anthony Elanga has been added to Manchester United’s Europa League squad
United are permitted, under UEFA rules, to add homegrown players to their ‘B’ list for the Europa League and Elanga has now been registered this week.
Elanga has recently recovered from a collarbone injury sustained after netting twice in the club’s Under 23s Premier League 2 clash with Leicester City in January.
The 18-year-old, who trained with Solskjaer’s first-team squad on Tuesday, is an old-fashioned winger who uses pace and trickery to beat his full-back and deliver crosses.
Elanga lived in Sweden until the age of 11 and was still a schoolboy when he made his debut for United’s Under 18s.
Elanga signed a new long-term contract with the Premier League giants just last month
The forward is now a regular for the Under 23s and there are high hopes for him to become a success at United.
Elanga was voted United’s Jimmy Murphy youth team Player of the Year last season – an award the club pay great respect to.
Previous winners of the Jimmy Murphy award include Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil Neville, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood.
Just last month, Elanga put pen to paper on a new long-term contract with the Premier League giants.
Elanga got a taste of first-team football for United prior to the 2020-21 season, featuring in a pre-season friendly against Aston Villa.
And later on in the year, Elanga admitted that he was hungry to join the likes of Rashford and Greenwood in Solskjaer’s first-team.
Elanga is looking to follow in the footsteps of Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood
‘You look at the likes of Mason and Rashy, there is a pathway there. It just shows you that if you’re willing to put the work into it and continue to work hard day in, day out in training there’s a pathway for you there.
‘Obviously we’ve got a manager in Ole trusting the youngsters, so there’s a pathway there and I’ve just got to keep working hard.
‘In training I’m always working hard and the way that I train is the way that I play.
‘You can see that in the results and I’m just happy at the moment, I’m enjoying my football.’
Elanga now has the chance to impress Solskjaer after earning a spot in United’s Europa League squad.
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