Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
FourFourTwo
FourFourTwo
Sport
Joe Donnohue

Meet Wolves teenager wanted by Manchester United who is subject of international tug-of-war: 'The Boy's A Bit Special'

Mateus Mane - The Boy's A Bit Special.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder was selected to speak after Wolves' 3-0 win over West Ham United - the club's first of the 2025/26 league season.

In a broad Mancunian accent, the teenager discussed his goal and assist versus the Hammers. Little was known about the midfielder born just across the water from Portuguese capital Lisbon, close to Benfica's world-famous academy.

Since arriving into the first-team picture for Wolves this season, he has been arguably the only positive from a campaign that has tested even the most die-hard Wolves supporters, who are bound for the Championship next term.

Mateus Mane should be playing Premier League football next season - even if Wolves aren't

Mateus Mane of Wolverhampton Wanderers battles for possession with Manchester City's Matheus Nunes (Image credit: Getty Images)

Mane moved to England at the age of eight and was scouted by local club Rochdale whilst representing grassroots teams in the north-west.

Despite not making a senior appearance for Rochdale, he was invited to trial with a host of top tier clubs, eventually choosing Wolves for the next stage of his development, perhaps due to the club's strong Portuguese links.

Mane (C) in the thick of it after Wolves' late 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Molineux (Image credit: Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Last season, he averaged a goal or assist every 117 minutes in the U18 Premier League and his progress has accelerated since then, coming off the bench to make his senior debut at the back end of the 2024/25 campaign.

He was also the subject of two international call-ups, one by the country of his birth, Portugal, and the other from England. Mane chose to represent England's Under-18s, debuting against, who else, Portugal.

During the first half of the 2025/26 season, Mane had a sustained impact in various youth football competitions under the Wolves banner and was drafted into the first-team setup by Rob Edwards.

Since then, he has grasped the opportunity with both hands, appearing in the starting line-up regularly and registering two goals from midfield as a result.

Mane is raw but knows how to hit the target, draws fouls well and contributes positively to attacking phases. A year in the second tier will probably do him a world of good, if he stays put.

Manchester United are reportedly sniffing around Molineux, hoping to pick the Midlanders' carcass when relegation is confirmed.

The Red Devils will not be the only club who've tasked their top scouts to watch Mane, though, and there is a good chance he will be playing Premier League football next season, even if Wolves aren't.

DID YOU KNOW: Mateus Mane is Wolves' youngest Premier League goalscorer in the club's history at 18 years, 3 months and 18 days

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.