Diego Forlan has backed compatriot Facundo Pellistri to eventually break into the Manchester United first team.
The Uruguayan winger signed for United on deadline day of the 2020 summer transfer window but has yet to make a senior appearance for the club.
Pellistri, 20, is currently on loan with Spanish side Alaves, his second spell at the club, but is yet to cement a regular starting place in their side.
However, despite limited appearances at club level, Pellistri has been called up to the senior Uruguay squad for the first time for the current international break and Forlan believes there is a lot more to come from the United youngster.
"I think he’s adapting really well," the Uruguayan legend told club media. "When they [United] talked to me about him, I told them everything – he has great potential as a player, good skills, is quick but still young.
"You know it’s not easy to arrive at a great club like Manchester United. I think being on loan at Alaves was good and now he had an opportunity to go back again. It’s a good opportunity for him, he’s still growing a little bit. In the future, he can have the opportunity to play for the first team at Manchester United."
MEN Sport revealed earlier this month that Pellistri is attracting interest from a number of Championship clubs as United and Alaves both consider whether or not to terminate his current loan deal.
It is still unclear where the youngster stands in the new plans at Alaves since they changed manager last month, but United do have an option to recall him this month as part of a clause in his loan agreement — which stated they could terminate the deal early if he had not played 1,000 minutes before the start of December.
United bought right-sided forward Pellistri from Penarol in a £9million deal back in October 2020.
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