When Manchester United completed the signing of Facundo Pellistri on transfer deadline day in October 2020 few would have predicted, less than two weeks before 2023 arrives, that he would still be awaiting his debut.
However, the 20-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Spanish side Alaves, is yet to have been called upon for a competitive fixture by either Ole Gunnar Solskjaer or current manager Erik ten Hag. He has watched games from the stands and the bench countless times, but he is yet to grace the pitch in United colours.
He has been named among the substitutes by Ten Hag on 12 separate occasions so far this season, meaning he will have gone through all of the pre-match preparations time and time again without any reward to show for his patience and determination to make his debut. In truth, it is almost impossible not to feel just that little bit sorry for him.
