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Rangnick reveals he convinced in-form starlet to stay at Man United after seeing him in training

Manchester United starlet Anthony Elanga celebrates a goal.
Manchester United starlet Anthony Elanga celebrates a goal.

Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick reveals private chat with forward Anthony Elanga on transfer plans

According to the Express, Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick said he convinced winger Anthony Elanga not to leave the club on loan in January, but to stay and fight for a place in the German’s team until the end of the winter transfer window.

Elanga was United’s hero in the Round of 16 tie against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League, coming off the bench to score the equaliser against the La Liga champions to hand United a 1-1 draw ahead of the second leg of the tie next month.

Rangnick, who took over the club on an interim basis late last year, said that he did not know much about Elanga’s ability when he arrived in Manchester, but the player blew him away with his performance in training.

“Apart from his name, of course, I had heard about his name before but not as a player because he didn’t play for Manchester United. The first training session the night before the Crystal Palace game, he was the player with the best training performance.”

Manchester United's Swedish forward Anthony Elanga has impressed under Ralf Rangnick this season. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP) (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester United’s Swedish forward Anthony Elanga has. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images)

The Swede has recently turned into a super-sub for his boyhood club, with Elanga also coming off the bench at Elland Road last weekend to score United’s fourth goal against rivals Leeds United in the Premier League in a 4-2 win.

Transfer U-Turn

Although Elanga made his debut for the club last season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it is under Rangnick that the teenager is flourishing, with the German regularly relying on the winger to give United a boost in attack in games this season.

Rangnick said that the Carrington star had almost decided to leave the club in January on loan to gain more minutes, but the manager intervened and convinced him to stay and play for him because of his potential.

“I asked my staff members about him and found out he had almost already decided to leave the club on loan. So a week after the Palace game, I said, listen, I want you to stay and see how you are doing in the training games until the end of the closure of the transfer window.”

Manchester United's German interim head coach Ralf Rangnick said he asked Anthony Elanga to stay instead of going out on loan in January. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP) (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester United’s German interim head coach Ralf Rangnick said he asked Anthony Elanga to stay instead of going out on loan in January. (Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images)

Elanga has been in red hot form recently, notching up his second goal in as many games for the club after coming off the bench both times in the second half of United’s games. The teenager has added a different dimension to our attack with his excellent runs in behind defences.

Against Atletico, the 19-year-old ran in behind the La Liga club’s defenders to notch up his first Champions League goal and hand his side a draw. Earlier in the season, the Swede made a similar run in behind Brentford’s defence as he opened the scoring in a 3-1 away win for United in the league.

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United fans have Rangnick to thank for keeping the player at the club instead of letting him leave on loan, as the team has only benefited from the decision. Marcus Rashford has been poor since the last season, but it looks like Elanga is a ready-made replacement for the Englishman in the team. Not to mention, Mason Greenwood’s absence from action has also freed up space in our attack.

We can hope that the forward is able to keep up his brilliant performances until the end of the season as we chase down a Champions League qualification spot in the summer. Elanga will also want more opportunities to be handed to him over the next few months to prove himself to everyone around and establish himself in the first team.

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