Pranav Nair
Penarol expect Facundo Pellistri to complete Manchester United switch today
Speaking to Sportwitness (h/t MEN), vice-president of Uruguayan club Penarol, Rodolfo Cantino expects Facundo Pellistri to join Manchester United today.
United have been after the talented 18-year-old for a year. The deal will be worth around €10million and will see Pellistri go straight into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team.
While the deal is not yet completed, it is expected to go through without a hitch.
“It’s still not closed, but we expect it to be done in the coming hours.”
The 18-year-old had agreed to a five-year deal with the Red Devils and will join a host of youngsters who arrived at the club this summer.
Pellistri started out at the academy of La Picada and had a stint at River Plate Montevideo, before ending up at Penarol. The teenager has since risen rapidly through the ranks and made his first-team debut in August 2019.
Capable of playing on either flank, the 18-year-old has made 37 appearances for the Penarol first-team. During this time, he has scored two goals and made four assists. (h/t Transfermarkt)
The likes of Real Madrid, Olympique Lyon, and Manchester City were all keen on signing the 18-year-old. However, it is Manchester United who have won the race for his signature. (h/t Metro)
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Interestingly, Pellistri was managed by former United star Diego Forlan. The Uruguayan was in charge of Penarol for around nine months before being sacked in September this year.
Forlan and Solskjaer played together at United. The Norwegian was in contact with his former teammate to garner first-hand information on the youngster.
Forlan has a high opinion of the youngster and expects him to scale great heights. Hopefully, he does just that at Old Trafford.
