Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has not been afraid to trust in youth since taking over with Academy starlets regularly getting called up to the matchday squad.
Chido Obi and Harry Amass have already made their debuts under the Portuguese and the Red Devils are second for most minutes afforded to teenagers in the Premier League this season.
The Portuguese tactician has watched the U18 and reserve games regularly and one young player who has caught his eye is 17-year-old Godwill Kukonki.
He has 18 appearances in all competitions this season for both the U18s and reserves and has one goal and three assists to his name.
Kukonki has impressed Amorim
The England U17 international has been part of three separate matchday squads and while he is yet to receive his first senior cap, the 40-year-old coach did reserve special praise for the defender.
“Yeah, of course (I’m impressed). He’s 16 years old but he impressed me a lot, so it’s also a sign to the youth players that they can be here.
“If something happened with the first-team squad, they have to step up, and I think he’s ready – he’s very adult – to handle the demands of the Premier League.”
Now that he has turned 17, The Manchester Evening News have revealed that the club is eager to tie him down on a professional contract.
“Kukonki was named in a first-team squad for the first time against Arsenal on December 4, and Ruben Amorim said the youngster had “impressed” him and his maturity was noticeable.
United want him tied down
“Since then, Kukonki has continued to make strong progress in academy fixtures and United are looking to tie him down to his first professional contract, having turned 17 in February.”
Kukonki stands at a whopping 6ft 5in and is a towering presence at the back, something United could do with at times. He is also equally adept at playing both as a centre-back and left-back.
A left-footed profile is exactly what Amorim is looking for now that Lisandro Martinez is ruled out for the whole year. Ayden Heaven and Leny Yoro have played there in the Argentine’s absence.
This has seen the 20-time English league champions get linked with a move for the costly Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton and as already seen from Heaven’s displays, the club have all the ammunition they need and all Amorim has to do is trust in the youth.
Feature image Lewis Storey via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
