Manchester United academy boss Nick Cox has spoke of his pride after youngster Alejandro Garnacho was handed a surprise call-up to the senior Argentina preliminary squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Ecuador.
The 17-year-old, who joined United in 2020 from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, has been named in the 44-man squad despite never having played at a senior level in his career so far. Born in Spain, Garnacho is eligible to play for either Spain or Argentina because both of his parents are Argentinian.
He has represented Spain at youth level but, because he is yet to make a senior appearance for the country's national team, Argentina have made their move to prize him away and benefit from his talents. There has been a lot of excitement within the Argentine media since his inclusion alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria was confirmed.
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With two countries seemingly determined to secure his services, it is a credit to Garnacho's talents. He has been excellent for United at youth level this season, scoring ten goals and grabbing five assists in all competitions for both the Under-23s and Under-18s.
With that said, United academy chief Cox has admitted that the fact two countries of such high quality are looking to secure the youngster's services speaks volumes about his talent. However, he has suggested that the winger is yet to make a definitive decision on who he wants to represent.
"He's a talented boy," Cox told the Belfast Telegraph. "I think some of his performances have caught the eye. He's one of many talented boys we've got. We've been in constant dialogue with him about what he might do.
"This is pretty fresh news. He's yet to make a decision. I know he's proud of his heritage, he's proud of both countries. I think he's honoured that both countries have an interest in him.
"And, really, the take-home message for me is 'you’re doing OK if you've got two countries that are interested in selecting you'."
Although there are not yet any guarantees that the youngster, who will turn 18 in July, will make the final Argentina squad for their upcoming fixtures, even if he does, and plays, he can still switch countries. He can still change nations before he turns 21-years-old if he has played less than three matches, and none in a World Cup.
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