The latest young talent linked with joining the famed Manchester United academy is one of the most exciting prospects emerging from the United States of America.
16-year-old winger Berchimas Nimfasha was a name relatively unknown in Europe until recently.
The talented teenager is a breakthrough talent at Charlotte FC, making his first team debut earlier this year – following an impressive goal-scoring U17 World Cup campaign.
Since then, Berchimas has been handed the chance to join Manchester United on trial in recent weeks – with Ineos keen to beat Chelsea to his signature.
The trial seems to have been a resounding success, with Berchimas scoring in a behind-closed-doors friendly for the U18s.
United have really rolled out the red carpet to sign the American – and now former Charlotte FC reporter and MLS expert, Caleb Adams, has explained why he is so highly rated.
Nimfasha Berchimas’ engine should delight Ruben Amorim
Speaking exclusively to United in Focus, Caleb Adams has shed light on the 16-year-old who debuted in senior football in front of 60,000 people.
“He’s a really dynamic winger with great technical ability for such a young age”, Adams explained. “He’s really two-footed. That’s the first thing that stood out about Nimfa [Nimfasha], and it makes him so dangerous.”
It is highlighted that Berchimas’ physical attributes dominated at a youth level but now against seasoned professionals he is having to adapt his game – with his decision-making an area of rapid improvement.
“He’s starting to improve his decision-making. When you are as gifted as Nimfa, you can get away with doing what you want.
“At Crown Legacy (Charlotte FC’s second team), we had Jose Tavares (former FC Porto technical director/coach) as the head coach. So Nimfasha was getting instruction and learning under some really great coaches.”
If signed by United, Berchimas is one the club will hope Ruben Amorim is consistently astonished by over the years. So it bodes well that he has the engine Amorim desires for his team to ‘run like mad dogs’.
“Another thing with Nimfa which you don’t see in a lot of other players is he had a big engine on him not just going forward but works incredibly hard defensively.
“Dean Smith labelled Nimfa, at 16, one of the best pressers in the Charlotte first-team, so he’s been very impressed.
“It’s one thing to have the engine, but another to have the knowledge to use it and Nimfa seems to have that, he’s a really smart presser of the ball.”
Perhaps this trait particularly lends itself well to Berchimas impressing as a winger-back in Amorim’s system.
What the USA is thinking about Manchester United trialist Berchimas
Berchimas is a special talent and within the USA right now he is considered as such. However, the trial at Carrington doesn’t come as a shock to Adams.
“As you can imagine, there is plenty of hype around him. With the US developing better and better prospects, Nimfasha is seen as a top 10 prospect in the country.
“He was already on trial at Bayern Munich when he was 14/15, so him going on trial at Manchester United is no surprise. So the perception around the country is he could be a really special player.”
Interestingly, Adams also picked out the son of legendary forward Geroge, Timothy Weah as a comparable style of player to Berchimas.
“I believe the best comparison is actually USA and Juventus’ own Timothy Weah. People haven’t seen a prospect in the country like Nimfa since Weah.
“They’re both really versatile, good one-v-one, both two-footed players with intelligent movement.”
Interestingly for Amoirim, Weah has played 16 games at either full-back spot – which suggests a move to the wing-back position would be seamless.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
