Several Manchester United players are currently on loan and will be looking to make an impact when they return to Old Trafford, including Donny van de Beek and Amadou Diarra. However, there is one player who many fans seem to have forgotten about: Uruguayan winger Facundo Pellistri.
The Italian international has been on loan at Deportivo Alaves this season, but he has not received the game time he would have liked. Despite the fact that he has made 18 appearances in La Liga, just six of them have been starts, and he has only played 598 minutes in total, this is not what his parent club or the player would have preferred for him to continue his growth.
With Alaves occupying the 19th position in the table and having scored the fewest goals in the league, you might have expected the manager to turn to Pellistri to try and inject some creativity into the team's attacking play. In reality, the experienced Edgar Mendez has been picked over the young winger on numerous occasions this season.
For some reason Diego Alonso appears to be aware of the youngster's talent, and he is constantly selected to play for the Uruguay national team. In the team's last World Cup qualifier against Peru on Thursday night, the winger made his first start and demonstrated that he may still have a future at United despite the obstacles that have prevented him from progressing further.
But what is the winger's next step? Is he going to stay with United and serve as a rotation option, or is he going to be sent out on another loan to a team that is more likely to give him the playing time he requires to develop?
Pellistri's future with the team may be brightened by the likely appointment of Erik ten Hag. When it comes to wingers, the Dutch like those who can hold the width rather than constantly drive inside, and Pellistri fits that description.
Do you think his lack of previous experience will be a disadvantage in this situation? Due to the importance of wingers to the success of Ten Hag's tactics, it is a difficult decision to make, but it would be tragic for United if they lost another bright talent due to poor management of his situation.
I think he's settling in incredibly well,' Diego Forlan, a former United striker and former Pellistri assistant manager, said in an interview with the club's official media. When they [Manchester United] approached me about him, I told them everything I knew about him: he has tremendous potential as a player, he possesses excellent talents, he is swift, and he is still very young.
"You're well aware that joining a renowned club like Manchester United is no easy feat. I believe his time on loan at Alaves was beneficial, and he now has the possibility to return to the club. For him, it's a good chance, as he's still in the process of maturing. His career at Manchester United could include the possibility of playing for the first team in the future."
Having a plethora of excellent players in front of him, such as Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Elanga and Amad, it appears unlikely that he will receive his shot in the first team. United could end up with a whole new roster under the leadership of new coach Fredrik Ten Hag, but stranger things have happened in the past.
Abiola Issa Mukaila 2 yrs
Nice