Manchester United appear to have landed themselves a future star in Facundo Pellistri, if ex-Red Devils striker Diego Forlan’s comments are to be believed.
United secured a last gasp deadline day deal for the teenage winger on Monday, in what ended up being a busy day for the club.
Pellistri is understood to have cost around £9m from Penarol in Uruguay, where he hails from.
The 18-year-old broke through at his boyhood club last season.
And United have landed themselves a potential superstar with Pellistri, according to fellow countryman Forlan.
“Pellistri has huge potential,” Forlan said in April. “There is still a lot to work on. He is growing and he makes the difference.
“We know it will be difficult to keep him for a long time. He has great pace and that is hard to handle.”
Meanwhile, Argentina legend Juan Roman Riquelme appeared to echo Forlan’s verdict with his comments even earlier in Pellistri’s career.
“He is young, talented, he hasn’t played that much but you can see he is a real rascal with the ball at his feet,” Riquelme said last December.
“And that is important. There is not many like him around, who have the courage to be so cheeky on the pitch. That is highly valuable.”
Pellistri revealed his delight at signing with United shortly after joining last night, insisting he was ready to work hard to earn opportunities to impress.
“To join a club with the history of Manchester United is a dream come true,” he said. “I have learnt a lot at Penarol and I would like to thank them for everything they have done for me.
“To have the confidence of the manager is an amazing feeling and I know that working with him will be perfect for my development.
“I am coming into a squad full of great players who I will learn from every day. Everyone knows that Manchester United is a club that gives young players an opportunity and I am ready to work hard every day to earn those chances and prove myself in England.”