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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Casey Evans

Lionel Messi's new teammate has already shown Manchester United fans why they should get excited

The international break is fast approaching and that means a number of Manchester United players will be leaving the club to join up with their national teams.

One player nobody was expecting to get a call-up was Alejandro Garnacho and especially not for Argentina alongside Lionel Messi.

The young winger has previously represented Spain at under-18 level but it now seems that he has chosen to represent his mother's homeland.

Garnacho is only part of the provisional squad so he may not represents Argentina in this round of fixtures, but the South American country's quick moves to lockdown his services shows how they appreciate his talent and potential.

And you can see why watching the goals that Garnacho has scored at youth level playing on the wing for United's development squads.

His ball control is a major strength. Many of his goals involve him receiving the ball in the box and using his quick feet to cut back and trick the defender, before stepping inside and hitting it across the net into the bottom corner.

He also has a good burst of pace, being able to leave defenders in the dust by knocking the ball far in front of him and running after it, but he will need to build up the physical side of his game in order to compete with defenders at the senior level.

Garnacho's locker does not only include these smart finishes however. He has also scored headers for the youth side, using his movement to find space in the box.

Against Scunthorpe United in the FA Youth Cup he scored a stunning goal by flicking the ball up in the box and then scissor kicking it into the net. This flare has been missing from a lot of players in United's front line as of late, with Jadon Sancho and occasionally Paul Pogba carrying the load. Garnacho improve that in the future.

At 17, it is unlikely that Garnacho gets into the United or Argentina senior sides any time soon, but if his club want to get the best out of him in the near future, they may want to consider a loan.

James Garner and Ethan Laird have made great strides during their loans this term and Tahith Chong would have likely been added to the list if it wasn't for his groin injury setback.

He isn't replacing Sancho just yet, but maybe in the future Garnacho will be the name on the lips of fans around Old Trafford.

Who do you think the next big youngster will be from the Manchester United academy? Follow our United On My Mind writer Casey Evans on Twitter and get involved in the discussion in the comments section below.

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