Manchester United have always been a club where youth is woven into the fabric of the team but under Erik ten Hag, the statement has never been truer.
The manager hasn’t only given ceremonial debuts, but under him, the academy has provided a bonafide first-team player to the team every season.
It was Alejandro Garnacho the first year, followed by Kobbie Mainoo, and there are hopes from multiple players this season as well.
Amidst the excitement, Erik ten Hag named the one player in the Manchester United squad who he thinks has world-class potential.
Erik ten Hag’s player with ‘X-factor’
Ten Hag was speaking in the embargoed section of his press conference ahead of the second league game, away to Brighton.
When asked about the importance of having players with X-factor who have made a difference to the team, Ten Hag agreed on the assessment of one player.
He waxed lyrical about him, saying he had ‘world-class potential’ with the ‘X-factor’ to make it to the top bracket of players.
That player is Alejandro Garnacho, who has come off the bench in both United games so far and contributed both times.
There was his remarkable goal against Manchester City to give United the lead, followed by a cross to Joshua Zirkzee for his debut goal.
Ten Hag said: “A world-class player? He [Garnacho] has to go a long way. He has high potential. He showed last season he can contribute and be a starting XI player
“To make the jump and become a world-class player, it starts with very hard work. That brought him to where he is now, and that will bring him to being that world-class player. I agree he has the potential.
“Every club at the top needs players with the X-factor. Garnacho has it in him to become that player. We’ve already seen on occasions that he has shown the X-factor, so if you want to be that player that people are saying is world-class, then you have to do it consistently. He has that skill.”
Unpacking Ten Hag’s words on Garnacho
Praise of the highest degree does not come easily to Ten Hag, especially not for young players who he handles by keeping their feet on the ground.
The words on Garnacho are probably the most complimentary Ten Hag has directly been of Garnacho and reflect the Argentinian’s borderline untouchable status.
Only the fact that he came back late from his holidays after the Copa America win, combined with Amad’s breakthrough makes it so that he hasn’t started so far.
From his breakthrough as a mercurial talent who was called out by both, the manager and captain Bruno Fernandes during Ten Hag’s first season over disciplinary issues, Garnacho has come a long way.
Not only is he considered asn established first-team player now, this season, it feels like he’s added end-product to his game too.
It is eerily similar to how his idol Cristiano Ronaldo broke through at United and while nobody is going to compare Garnacho to Ronaldo in terms of goalscoring and longevity, there are far worse players to try and emulate!
The coach has certainly been completely won over, which is the hardest thing to do for any player coming through the ranks.
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