Manchester United’s aggressive steps in youth recruitment led them recently to Mouhamed Dabo of Senegal, who was at trial with the club, so they are keeping a close eye on him in the U17s World Cup.
Mouhamed Dabo has been pictured at Carrington already, and it was reported recently that he has impressed people at Man Utd.
As the captain of Senegal U17s, Dabo has been a hot prospect in the footballing world for his all-action midfield ability.
The ongoing U17s World Cup is a great showcase for him to show his talent in front of the wider world, and he has started it off with a 45-minute appearance against Croatia U17s.
How Mouhamed Dabo fared for Senegal U17s vs Croatia U17s
Dabo’s Senegal are in Group C of the World Cup, consisting of the UAE, Croatia, and Costa Rica, so they have a good chance of progression.
They kicked off their campaign with the toughest test on paper, against the young Croatians, and came away with a goalless draw.
Dabo didn’t start the game, but came on at half-time and put in an encouraging performance to show glimpses of his all-round potential.
He was a forward-thinking midfielder, with eight of his 17 completed passes coming in the opponent’s half, one of which created a chance.
He had two shots at goal and completed 2/3 take-ons to showcase his ball-carrying ability from deeper areas of the pitch.
Dabo will be kicking himself after he missed a glorious chance in the 87th minute to get the win for his team, but his ability to smell that ball and get into the six-yard area is a good building block.
Pathway for Dabo at Man Utd
Despite impressing Man Utd on trial, the chances of Dabo signing immediately are slim because earlier reports suggested that there are some official rules that need to be adhered to.
United don’t want to strain their relationship with his current club, and Brexit regulations mean he won’t be able to join until he’s 18 anyway.
Getting youngsters on trial is a way to work within the confines of those regulations while also effectively having the first option on the player, which seems to be the case with Dabo.
A good showing at the U17 World Cup will only raise his stock further, so United’s proactiveness in bringing him on trial could prove to be a masterstroke.
Dabo will turn 18 in March next year, so next summer might be when he joins United if everything goes to plan.
In the meantime, Man Utd fans can look forward to his next game in the U17 World Cup against the UAE on November 9.
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