Following Manchester United’s progress to the FA Youth Cup semi-final, Ralf Rangnick lauded Anthony Elanga as the “greatest model” for the club’s young players.
In December, the 19-year-old was lining up for the young Reds during their UEFA Youth League campaign, but by February, he had restored parity in a crucial Champions League knockout round match against Atletico Madrid.
With Alejandro Garnacho stealing the show with a brace, Travis Binnion’s side overcame a brief scare to beat Leicester City at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Rangnick outlined the mindset required to break into the first-team fold and follow in Elanga’s footsteps both domestically and internationally.
He told ManUtd.com, “He’s the best example of what can happen in two or three months.”
“When I arrived in early December, he had already made up his mind [that he was going on loan], had practically left, and the only question was which club he should go on loan to.
“After the first training session I saw him, it was evident to me that he was an intriguing player, and we should seriously consider keeping him at the club.
“This demonstrates what can be accomplished in football with a top attitude, a professional mentality, and perhaps he can be a role model for others who are attempting to improve and build their careers in a similar manner.”
Marcus Rashford, Dean Henderson, Jesse Lingard, and Scott McTominay have all established themselves after going through the academy in recent years.
Zidane Iqbal, Charlie Savage, Shola Shoretire, and Teden Mengi have all made their first-team debuts under the German temporary manager, with Hannibal Mejbri on the periphery.
