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Manchester United’s Bendito Mantato has attracted the interest of the club’s biggest rivals according to the Manchester Evening News.
The recently-turned 16 year old has begun to break into United’s u18s and is highly regarded at the club.
Most recently, Mantato played 69 minutes in United’s 5-0 annihilation of Crystal Palace to book their spot in the Premier League Cup final.
Manchester Evening News reported “some of United’s rivals in the Premier League are interested in signing him.”
At only 16 years old, Mantato is still ineligible for a professional contract until he turns 17 next year, which opens the possibility of rivals swooping in to poach him.
The outlet added that their “sources have indicated that United would receive a six-figure sum in compensation if Mantato was to switch clubs, as they have been responsible for his development to this stage.”
The youngster joined United at just nine years old and made his u18s debut at 14.
A versatile player, Mantato can play on the right wing or at left back and has even slotted in centrally in a back three at times for England.
Coincidentally, it is the same three positions that Brandon Williams played coming through the academy, but it is expected Mantato will end up on the wing rather than as a full back.
Interest from other clubs is expected for the youngster given his talent, but as of yet United fans should not worry too much, as such interest is common.
United have had to deal with interest of top academy stars in the past such as Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, and many more.
But with United’s pedigree of integrating academy players into the first team and Mantato already earning early promotion to United’s u18s, it looks certain that his pathway to the first team has been planned well enough at United to convince him he is at the right club for his development.
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