Erik ten Hag makes U-turn on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer signing who was told to exit Man Utd
Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, has changed his position on a player who was once not seen as part of his plans.
The player in question is Facundo Pellistri, a 21-year-old Uruguayan winger. Initially, it seemed like he would not feature in ten Hag’s first season at the club, but after making three appearances in January, there may still be hope for his United career.
Pellistri was signed by former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020 after receiving a recommendation from former United striker Diego Forlan.
Despite his arrival, it took him over two years to make his debut for the club, causing some concern among his fellow countrymen that his development was being hindered by a lack of game time at Old Trafford.
One of those who voiced their concerns was Premier League legend Gus Poyet, who feared that Pellistri’s lack of playing time would affect his chances of representing Uruguay at the Qatar World Cup.
Nevertheless, with ten Hag appearing to have changed his stance on Pellistri, there may still be a future for him at Old Trafford.
“Pellistri will struggle to get game time,” the former Chelsea ace told Midnite last year.
“It would be good for him to go somewhere and play, because the World Cup is around the corner and he is very important for the Uruguay team because the coach [Diego Alonso] has lots of faith in his ability, he’s a proper winger.”
Poyet’s fears, however, were unfounded, as Pellistri was unable to find a transfer away from Old Trafford before the tournament and played in all three of Uruguay’s World Cup group stage matches before the team was eliminated.
Pellistri’s performance in these three contests prompted Ten Hag to reconsider his decision. After not playing the winger for a single minute from the beginning of the season until the holiday break, the United manager has now used him three times.
All three appearances have been from the bench and in domestic cup competition, suggesting that Ten Hag does not trust the 21-year-old enough to play him in the Premier League just yet.
His brief appearances in two Carabao Cup games and the recent FA Cup victory over Reading have been generally positive, and while there is still a raw element to Pellistri’s game, it appears that he will play a role in Ten Hag’s United plans.
Erik ten Hag makes U-turn on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer signing who was told to exit Man Utd
