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Manchester United’s Top 5 Most Promising Academy Players

By Chris Fleming

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 28: Timothy Fosu-Mensah of Manchester United in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on February 28 2016 in Manchester, England (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images)
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 28: Timothy Fosu-Mensah of Manchester United in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on February 28 2016 in Manchester, England (Photo by Matthew Peters/Man Utd via Getty Images) /
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Manchester United’s Dutch manager Louis van Gaal (L) gives instructions to Manchester United’s Dutch defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah before being substitued on during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on March 20, 2016. / AFP / PAUL ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Manchester United’s Dutch manager Louis van Gaal (L) gives instructions to Manchester United’s Dutch defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah before being substitued on during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on March 20, 2016. / AFP / PAUL ELLIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images) /

1. Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Defender

The 18-year-old is an incredible prospect. With a physique that belies his age, the Dutchman will only continue to get stronger and stronger.

Fosu-Mensah is also very comfortable in possession. This season, he has played as a right-back, left-back, centre-back and central midfielder for various United teams at all levels.

Signed from Ajax at the end of the summer transfer window in 2014, he had to wait for clearance before he could play for United, but has risen through the youth ranks incredibly quickly since then.

Fosu-Mensah made his debut in the 3-2 win over Arsenal in the unfamiliar left-back role. He replaced Matteo Darmian in that same position in the Manchester derby and looked at ease.

In the long term, it’s likely that he will become a central defender or central midfielder on a permanent basis.

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For now, though, it will be fascinating to watch his development. Any player with that blend of physical attributes and technical prowess – so often young players possess one or the other – will go very far in the game. Fosu-Mensah could be a real star in the the making.

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