Mengi gets chance with the first team

TEDEN Mengi has been promoted to the United first-team squad.

The 18-year-old made a 30-minute appearance in Saturday’s friendly defeat at Villa Park and has been training with the senior squad again this week.

The Mancunian started for the Under-21s in their 6-0 thrashing of Salford in the EFL Trophy last week but was withdrawn from the Under-23 squad for Monday’s 2-0 defeat to Leicester.

M.E.N. Sport understands United are keeping the senior and junior squads separate at their Carrington training complex so they can train in their own bubbles and centre-half Mengi is now part of the first-team.

Fellow defenders Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo have been training away from the United squad amid the possibility they could leave before transfer deadline day on October 5, while Axel Tuanzebe and Phil Jones are recovering from injury. Eric Bailly only started pre-season training on Monday.

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has upgraded Mengi’s squad number from 71 to 43 after he was included in the squad for the Europa League straight knockout phase in Cologne.

Mengi made his United debut in the European win over LASK.

“Teden has definitely impressed me,” said Solskjaer. “Teden’s got something special in him. It’s about picking the right moment to give him a chance.”

Mengi told M.E.N. Sport last week: “I’m not looking too far ahead. Same old me, I’m just looking to work as hard as I can. If it happens, it happens. It’s down to me to keep working hard and if that opportunity comes then I must take it.”