Facundo Pellistri's agent has confirmed the Uruguay international is likely to leave Manchester United after the World Cup.
Pellistri, 20, joined the Red Devils from Uruguayan side Penarol in October 2020 but has failed to break into the first team at Old Trafford. He's yet to play under Erik ten Hag, with his only appearance this term coming for the U23s against Barrow in the EFL Trophy.
The youngster also failed to play under Ralf Rangnick and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, despite being promised minutes, and has spent much of the last couple of years on loan at Alaves. It now appears that his time at Old Trafford is coming towards an end.
"I think that with a good World Cup, as we think it will have, his departure is imminent," Pellistri's agent Edgardo Lasalvia told ESPN. The winger is expected to be part of Uruguay's squad for the tournament in Qatar, despite struggling for game time at club level.
Pellistri will be determined to put himself in the shop window at the World Cup after two disappointing loan spells at Alaves. He made 33 LaLiga appearances in total for the Spanish club but failed to score or provide an assist in any of those games.
Pellistri has been overshadowed at United by fellow young winger Alejandro Garnacho, who put in a stellar display in the 3-0 win against Sheriff and is their reigning Young Player of the Year. Despite all this, Pellistri insisted he was happy at Old Trafford when asked.
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Speaking to ESPN last month, he said: "I am happy to play again, and now Manchester will have an important string of games, so I also hope to get minutes at the club. Erik ten Hag is a good coach, with a very clear idea; I really want to start participating in the team."
Broken promises
It's not been easy for Pellistri at Old Trafford. United promised Penarol the youngster would go straight into Solskjaer's first team on his arrival two years ago. "Pellistri is going straight to the first team - he’s going to play," said Penarol secretary Evaristo Gonzalez.
"During negotiations they asked me if I could guarantee that he was in the bubble because they need him. Then it will be a matter of whether the manager uses him."
Yet Solskjaer quickly backtracked on that promise. "He’s a young boy coming over and it’s all new for him," the Norwegian told United's website in November 2020. "He’ll need a few games in the reserves, of course, to try to find his feet in a new country.
"It’s been very positive so far and he’s someone we’ll be patient with and we’ll give him time to settle in and get used to us. You’ll see him in the reserves, probably in the next game."
Pellistri will be hoping to get his career back on track as soon as possible. He was backed to become a superstar by then United team-mate Edinson Cavani in October 2020, who branded his style of play "mischievous" in a ringing endorsement.
"Pellistri is a young lad and I really love the way he plays the game," Cavani told United's website.
"He’s the typical South American footballer who has that mischievous nature to his game, and the way he lives his football is a bit like, as we say in Uruguay, being on el campito, as we call it, a makeshift pitch where you have a kickabout for fun with your mates or whoever. He’s a youngster who has a lot to learn but who has a lot to offer too."
Cavani added: "He’s coming here to the club, without a doubt determined to learn and mature as a player, but also to make a good contribution here himself. Learning his trade here is also going to be a great experience for him."
