The much-awaited debut of Diego Leon at Manchester United is in the books after a whirlwind few days for him, and the road to establishing himself begins now.
Man Utd’s goalless draw against Leeds to kick off the pre-season didn’t have many concrete talking points, but it will be remembered for the debuts of Matheus Cunha and Diego Leon.
Both Leon and Cunha impressed to varying degrees on their debut, with Leon earning Ruben Amorim’s praise after the game.
He’s now sent his first message since his debut, and the youngster seems to have a mentor in the dressing room already if Manuel Ugarte’s response is any indication.
Diego Leon’s message after Man Utd debut
Leon made a bold promise before coming to Man Utd, the first step of which he had already achieved before even kicking a ball in a professional game.
The Paraguayan’s intensity, physicality, and eagerness to impress have clearly won over Amorim, who hasn’t been shy about lavishing praise on the youngster.
That same determination and single-mindedness was on display again when Leon posted his first words since his Man Utd debut.
Leon posted three pictures on his Instagram – a solo shot, and one each with Bruno Fernandes and Amad, writing, “Preparándonos para lo que se viene”, which translates to “Preparing for what’s coming,” adding a flex and heart emoji.
Manuel Ugarte, who also coined Matheus Cunha’s nickname at Man Utd, responded by saying, “Vamo y vamo”, which loosely translates to “Let’s go and go”.
Leon has a strong South American support group at Man Utd
It’s never easy for an 18-year-old Paraguayan youngster to leave everything behind and move to Manchester, hoping for a breakthrough.
Leon will need a lot of encouragement and a strong support system to feel welcome at Old Trafford, which is an unforgiving place.
The response by Ugarte proves that he has the latter in place, with the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Casemiro, and Matheus Cunha adding to the South American support group.
That will make it easier for Leon to settle into his new surroundings, which will directly improve his performances on the pitch.
Amorim recognises it too, which is why he has been constantly supportive of Leon during his early days at Carrington.
The potential is there, and the support is too. Whether he makes good on his vast potential is up to Leon.
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