Mengi’s chance while United wield the axe M.E.N. ON SUNDAY FIVE pages of analysis, comment, and build-up to Spurs v United

WE’RE heading towards the summer transfer window and it is quite obvious in which area the United squad is overstocked.

A statement condemning Marcos Rojo for breaking lockdown rules (again) this week mainly acted as a depressing reminder that he is still contracted to the club, while Phil Jones waits patiently in the shadows for his chance to get first-team football again.

The decision to buy Harry Maguire last summer was an expensive one for the Reds but it was also an essential one to bring stability to a team which had just endured it’s worst top-flight defensive campaign since 1978-79, conceding 54 Premier League goals.

As well as the key addition of Maguire, United negotiated new contracts with centre-halves Axel Tuanzebe and Victor Lindelof, and triggered the two-year extension in Eric Bailly’s contract in January.

Throw in the impressive form of Luke Shaw as a makeshift central defensive option since the turn of the year and it is obvious why United should have no worries about axing at least two defenders summer.

Chris Smalling seems the most likely to go due to the fact he has actually been very good this season at Roma and deserves to be playing first-team football every week, but the efforts to sell another could prove more problematic.

The Reds have tried to sell Rojo in four of the five summers he has been at the club, while Jones has only started twice in the Premier League this term.

As a result there should be no hesitation for United to trim down their defensive options at the end of the season, but the notion they need to buy a new centre-back is wrong.

Kalidou Koulibaly, a player who Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is very fond of, is never far from the gossip columns but is not needed. The same goes for any other big-name centre-back around Europe who would cost United a pretty penny.

How the Reds react after the Premier League resumption next week will quite clearly influence fans’ own priorities ahead of the summer, but Solskjaer seems to have already hinted at the way he aims to replace those this veterans in the squad. Despite having a fully fit squad at his disposal, Solskjaer has again looked to give youth a chance and this week promoted youngster Teden Mengi to train with the first team.

The 18-year-old is widely considered one of the club’s top prospects and was rewarded with a place on the United bench for the Europa League trip to Astana last year, although he was an unused substitute.

Uncertainty over the conclusion of the FA Youth Cup means the charismatic teenager can still dream of captaining the youth side to glory in the competition for the first time in eight years, but he has right to dream bigger.

Mengi has confidence in his own abilities and has not been fazed by his recent promotion to the first team. A message from an admirer on his Instagram post from Tuesday’s session claimed Mengi was where he belonged. His reply read: ‘just saying the truth.’

Solskjaer is a big fan of the teenager, and soon we might find out if Mengi really is cut out for men’s football with United set to trim their options at the end of the season.

■ DANIEL James’ productive first year at United has come as no surprise to those closest to him as he celebrates his one-year anniversary at the club.

The Wales international officially joined United on June 12 last year as he became Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first signing.

James shone on the pre-season tour, before bursting onto the scene with a dream debut goal against Chelsea on the opening day of the season. The 22-year-old followed that with goals against Crystal Palace and Southampton as he quickly established himself as a regular starter.

United have been impressed by the performances James has delivered after his relatively cheap £15m move last summer, but his adaptation to life in the top flight did not shock his Welsh international team-mate Rabbi Matondo.

“I am not surprised,” Matondo told M.E.N. Sport.

“Even playing in the Under-21s with Dan and playing against him for Swansea in the Under-23s league, he has always had potential to do what he is doing now.

“I still think there is more to come from him so I am happy for him and I hope that he continues to do that.”