Jose Mourinho to promote Scott McTominay to Manchester United first-team after youngster impressed in pre-season
Mourinho will also make Andreas Pereira a regular part of squad
JOSE MOURINHO is ready to promote Manchester United youth star Scott McTominay to the first-team, according to reports.
The 20-year-old has impressed the Special One this summer and could see action for the club next season.
The young Scottish midfielder was handed his debut by Mourinho last season and has travelled with the first-team squad to the US for pre-season.
He impressed in America, before scoring his first goal for the senior side in the friendly against Valarenga in Norway at the weekend.
According to journalist Duncan Castles, who is close to Mourinho, McTominay has now given the Special One a serious selection headache.
McTominay, who is an impressive athlete at 6ft 3in, had expected to go on loan but his performances could see him kept at Old Trafford.
After scoring in Oslo, McTominay said: “Coming over with the first team for a start and just playing games with them in pre-season and then obviously to get my first senior goal, it’s the best feeling in the world.
“It’s the best moment of my life so you just want more and more of this. This is what you work for every single day in training, dedicating yourself. I’m just going to enjoy it now and push forward to do my best.”
Mourinho will also make Andreas Pereira a regular member of his Manchester United first-team next season.
The Belgium-born Brazil youth international performed well in the US and has proved to be a versatile operator – he can play on either wing, as a No 10 and even in front of the back four if needed.
Pereira played in all seven of United’s pre-season matches this summer and he’s also proven to be excellent at set-pieces this summer.
The United squad is light on players in the attacking third – with Mourinho continuing to chase Inter Milan star Ivan Perisic.
In the three attacking midfield positions Mourinho has only Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial as specialists, while Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba could also play there in an emergency.
Ashley Young is also an option, but the former England man is expected to be out for a few months.
Pereira’s young age also gives Mourinho the advantage of naming him as an Under-21 player, meaning he doesn’t count to the 25-man limit.
Signed from PSV Eindhoven in 2012, Pereira also counts as one of at least eight ‘home-grown’ stars each Premier League club must include in their squads.
Last month the youngster, who was on loan at Granada last season, said: “For me I think it is going well.
“I am doing my best, I want to get into the team this season. I want to help my team and hopefully we can achieve a lot this season.
“It boosts me that the people here trust the young players. I am very happy for the young players and I want to be a part of this team as well.”
