Manchester United loanee Alvaro Fernandez has hailed Argentine duo Alejandro Garnacho and Lisandro Martinez.
Fernandez, who is currently with Preston on loan, played with Garnacho en route to United winning the FA Youth Cup last season.
Meanwhile, he trained alongside Lisandro briefly after his arrival from Ajax in the summer before moving to the Championship outfit on a temporary basis.
In an interview with Spanish outlet AS, Fernandez said that the defender was the player who surprised him most in training.
Alvaro Fernandez on Manchester United duo Alejandro Garnacho and Lisandro Martinez
When asked who surprised him in Carrington training, he replied: “The truth is that I did not train with him much, but Lisandro Martínez.
“I was with him in pre-season and we said, ‘where did he come from?!’ He is short, low-centre of gravity, but very forceful. He’s doing amazing.”
On Garnacho, he added: “He has been given the vote of confidence that a young player needs. He has grabbed it in an incredible way.
“He has scored goals, laid on assists. I’m very happy for him. Against Barcelona he did well in the minutes that the coach gave him.”
In an interview with the Athletic, in October, former U23s boss Neil Wood, who is now manager of Salford City in League 2, hailed the teenager, saying he has been ‘outstanding’ at Preston.
Fernandez has made 30 appearances in all competitions for Preston, which is exactly the level of gametime you want when you loan out a player.
That included a substitute display against Tottenham in the FA Cup in January, giving him a brief taste of a game against elite opposition.
He just needs to keep it going, as Preston sit 12th, eight points off the final play-off spot, so making the top six is not out of the question yet.
United could be set for some movement at left-back over the summer, with the futures of Brandon Williams and Alex Telles in doubt, which may hand Fernandez opportunities next season if he does not depart on loan again.