Facundo Pellestri will return to Manchester United this summer and will play his part in pre-season training, according to journalist Sebas Giovanelli.
The report claims that the Uruguayan winger wants to be given more chances at Old Trafford, after a stop-start two years in the Premier League.
The winger, who was recommended to United by former striker and the Penarol manager at the time Diego Forlan, was brought in as a deadline day signing in 2020 from the Uruguayan club for a fee believed to be in the region of £12 million.
The winger was brought in with high expectations, and made the bench just three weeks into his stint at the club at the Parc Des Princes against Paris Saint Germain.
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Following this, Pellestri moved down to United’s under-23 set up to feature in the Premier League 2. He played his part in six games, scoring twice and setting up another, before he was told his best course of action would be in the form of a loan for more regular first team football.
The city of Vitoria was Pellistri’s temporary home for six months, playing for Deportiva Alaves for the second half of the season in the top flight of Spanish football. During the six months of his stint in Spain, the winger featured in 12 La Liga games, starting five of them, although the Uruguayan failed to register a goal or an assist during his brief time with Alaves.
The then 19-year-old returned to England and featured in United’s pre-season training camp, where he scored against Wayne Rooney’s Derby County at Pride Park in one of United’s first games in front of fans in England for a year. In an interview published with The Athletic last year, Pellistri said just how much that pre-season in England had helped him.
“I felt stronger in the first team,” Pellistri said. “It was a very hard pre-season, the hardest I’ve ever had. Physically, you are really pushed, the training is such a high level.”
After playing well during pre-season, United decided to let Pellistri leave on loan again, to get more exposure to first team football at the tender age of 19 – this loan needed to be to a club and an environment that will guarantee him to thrive, he chose Alaves again, but the loan has been a mixed bag.
Having rejoined Alaves at a late stage during the summer transfer window, the Uruguayan missed Alaves’ pre-season preparation and his first appearance was a baptism of fire. He was brought on from the bench as a substitute against Real Madrid, a fixture in which the winger featured for 22 minutes. The ultimate frustration for Pellistri and indeed United is the lack of starts for the tricky wideman.
Having featured in 21 La Liga games, Pellistri started just six of them. The main concern to come as a result of his spell in Alaves is be the severe lack of first team starts. However, with the news that Pellistri will return to United, this could be his breakthrough year – if he manages to impress incoming boss Erik ten Hag.
The gap on the right wing could potentially be the route into the first team for the 20-year-old. Jadon Sancho, who was brought into the fold to try and solve the glaring issue on the right-hand side, has seemingly gravitated towards the left-hand side. With Pellistri, despite the winger being predominantly right footed, he favours that right hand side.
“I want to play on the right wing,” he insisted to The Athletic last year, so there could well be a spot for the Uruguayan to shine. With Anthony Elanga, Marcus Rashford and Sancho preferring the left side, this could be Pellistri’s time to shine on the right.
The last two years for the winger has been a development period, but with incoming manager Erik ten Hag through the door, it is a clean slate for everyone and a chance for Pellistri to stake his claim for a first team spot with United.
Topics: Facundo Pellistri, Manchester United, Manchester United Transfer News & Rumours, Football
Shaun Webbley