Ruben Amorim includes 16-year-old star in first Manchester United training session

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Evening Standard

·18 de noviembre de 2024

Ruben Amorim includes 16-year-old star in first Manchester United training session

Godwill Kukonki, a 6ft 5ins defender, was given an opportunity to impress the new boss

Amorim oversaw first-team training for the first time on Monday, having received his work permit last week and, with a number of his first-team players away on international duty, Amorim used the opportunity to take a look at younger talents

One young star who joined the first-team group was 16-year-old Godwill Kukonki.

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According to Manchester Evening News, it is the first time the teenager, who is a left-footed defender, has joined first-team training but is a regular starter at centre-back for the Under-18s.

Despite his age, Kukoni towers over his team-mates at 6ft 5ins tall and has been tipped for a very bright future.

Amorim will also have been buoyed by the sight of midfielder Kobbie Mainoo with the group.

Mainoo has not played since October 8, when he picked up a muscle injury against Aston Villa.

An initial prognosis predicted Mainoo would miss "a few weeks" and now, according to Manchester Evening News, over five weeks on Mainoo has finally returned to training.

It remains to be seen if Mainoo will prove his fitness before Amorim’s first game in charge, which is this coming Sunday away at Ipswich.

Mainoo has been predicted for a big role under Amorim, who regularly relied on academy graduates during his trophy-laded time with Sporting Lisbon.

As such, United are reportedly set to accelerate contract negotiations with Mainoo, who still have two and a half years to run on his current terms.

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