Facundo Pellistri: Fabrizio Romano update on Man Utd winger's future

Robin Bairner

• 25 Jan 2023 15:49 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United face a decision over winger Facundo Pellistri in the closing days of the January transfer window.

Often on the bench this season and with just six minutes of first-team action under his belt, the 21-year-old Uruguay international would appear a natural option to send on loan – or perhaps even sell.

However, Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag has previously said that he is happy with Pellistri and sees him as a valuable member of the first-team squad as the Premier League season moves past its halfway point.

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Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, meanwhile, has indicated that Pellistri’s future remains unclear with less than a week remaining of the transfer window.

Romano revealed via his YouTube channel that Pellistri has options to move away on loan if Man Utd choose to accept one of these deals. For instance, there are offers from Italy but Spanish side Valencia appear particularly insistent over the player.

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Nothing has been decided, though, with Man Utd reserving the option to keep Pellistri at the club.

Previously, it had been stated that Ten Hag is concerned about the depth in his squad, and with a January window that has only seen the Red Devils move for goalkeeper Jack Butland and striker Wout Weghorst on loan, there has been little since to indicate that the former Ajax boss will have changed his mind.

Ten Hag on Pellistri

Speaking to the club’s official website, Ten Hag has previously praised Pellistri, who played for Uruguay at the 2022 World Cup.

“It was just 10 minutes [he played], but he made a really good impression,” he said, referencing the cameo Pellistri made against Charlton in the League Cup.

“He had to wait a long time for it because you have to deserve the game-time in our squad. There are others who also deserved it who didn't even come on.

“He worked for a long time and he proved himself. He showed., in that moment, that he was ready.

“He had some really good actions, he was lively and he got the assist but also [he gave a] good contribution in terms of defending, he was reliable and he took the responsibility.

“I am happy with that performance and I’m happy with his development, we brought him in [to the team] and we think he has a future here at Manchester United.”