Facundo Pellistri To Remain At Manchester United For Rest Of Season

Manchester United are expected to keep Facundo Pellistri at Old Trafford for the rest of the season.

There had been speculation the Uruguayan winger would be sent out on loan by United in the January transfer window, but at a press conference on Friday the club’s manager Erik ten Hag appeared to confirm Pellestri would be given more opportunities.

“We have our ideas,” Ten Hag said, “for some players we are open for loans but with some players they are not, because they are first, talented, they have to develop first in our environment.”

“Second, we have many games to cover and we need players to cover that. When you play 10 games in 30 days you need a lot of players…The way we put on Pellistri on Wednesday is already a signal.”

On Wednesday Pellistri made only his second ever appearance for United against Nottingham Forest in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at the City Ground.

After coming on as a substitute for Antony in the 70^th minute he impressed with his direct running and confidence on the ball. He produced a great cross for United’s new loan signing Wout Weghorst, and was then involved in the build-up to United’s third goal scored by Bruno Fernandes, to help United win 3-0.

“We have seen some physicality and he has some good movements and some good runs in behind,” Ten Hag said after the game. “He has speed so he has to bring that in our game. I think he is also a player who can play really good between the lines because he can be ball-secure. That he has to bring into our game.”

“[He is] a little bit different, we have a left-footed right-winger in Antony, and Facundo is right-footed and I think a best chance was, well not our best chance, but a good chance he created, was his cross for Wout Weghorst.”

After signing for United for £9.1 million from Penarol in the summer of 2020 Pellistri was first sent on two loan spells to the Spanish side Alaves.

After impressing for Uruguay at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar at the end of last year, Pellistri finally made his debut, after a wait of two and a half years, as a substitute in United’s 3-0 win over Charlton in the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford in December.

Despite only being on the field for ten minutes against Charlton Pellistri delivered an impressive performance and provided an assist for Marcus Rashford’s first goal.

Before these two appearances Pellistri’s frustration at not having played for the first team was beginning to mount, and there was growing speculation that his future might be away from Old Trafford.

In November his agent Edgardo Lasalvia had said, “I think with a good World Cup, as we think he is going to have, his departure [from United] is imminent.”

There was interest from Watford, Valencia and Botofogo in Brazil to take Pellistri on loan for the second half of the season, but the player will now stay at Old Trafford and look to establish himself in the first team.