Bendito Mantato

Ekeke

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Looks an interesting player

Fairly intelligent with his decision making and has close control with the ball




https://www.unitedinfocus.com/acade...rformance-in-manchester-united-under-18s-win/


So far 3 appearances with 1 goal and 2 assists for the u18s. He's 16 years old having had his birthday last Thursday on the 25th of Jan and hes a left footed right winger who has played for England at youth level but also has the choice of Angola

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/bendito-mantato/profil/spieler/1085591


Some extra older videos




 
Bendito Mantato
What a wonderful phrase
Bendito Mantato
His passing is amaze
It means no worries
For the rest of your days
He's our problem-free philosophy
Bendito Mantato

Looks a very talented young player - great videos. Looking forward to following his development.
 
Started for England U16s today in a 4-0 win over Sweden. Interestingly, he appears to have played LCB in a back 3.
 
Remember the geese said:
Centre back, fullback, winger. This kid can play anywhere.
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I'm actually not 100% sure where he played. Looking at the highlights, in some clips he's very deep & definitely looks like he's playing CB but in others he's clearly at LB. Either way, his versatility is an asset.
 
Shame he got called up, could have stuck him in tomorrow's squad
 
Started in a 3-0 win over South Korea today as England won the tournament.
 
Gungerz said:
I'm actually not 100% sure where he played. Looking at the highlights, in some clips he's very deep & definitely looks like he's playing CB but in others he's clearly at LB. Either way, his versatility is an asset.
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can you send a link
 
I didn’t know he can play at centre back. Could help improve quality on the ball in that position and maybe getting him games in the same team as Amass. Versatility always a bonus in my book.
 
top1whoisman said:
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His acceleration is excellent so you can see why he plays wide a lot but I wonder whether he might end up a more central player at some point. Either way, fantastic that he's so versatile.
 
So is he a winger, full back or CB :nervous:
 
JJ12 said:
So is he a winger, full back or CB :nervous:
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His versatility can only help him in the long run. I’d say he is at his best at RW cutting in, but with his size he could definitely be developed into a LB.
 
JJ12 said:
So is he a winger, full back or CB :nervous:
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Right winger with some speed and can use either foot. Looks dangerous when he squares up defenders and runs at them and can quickly change direction a bit like Saka

Not sure theres any reason he would have been used at the back other than being left footed, judging from last night's match anyway
 
Trained with the first team.

GIARyD1WwAAfLm2
 
Turned 16 in January and already training with the first team. Exciting.
 
Bastian said:
Turned 16 in January and already training with the first team. Exciting.
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Could be in part to try to convince him to stay. Arsenal did the same (and even played him) with Nwaneri when he was only 15.

He has talent and I’m happy he’s getting a taste of first team training already, just wouldn’t read too much into it.
 
top1whoisman said:
Could be in part to try to convince him to stay. Arsenal did the same (and even played him) with Nwaneri when he was only 15.

He has talent and I’m happy he’s getting a taste of first team training already, just wouldn’t read too much into it.
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You think we'd adopt those tactics purely to convince him to stay. Pretty poor IMV if so. I suspect he's being pencilled in for some action next season and he's getting to train with the first team to bring him on and acclimatise him.
 
Bastian said:
You think we'd adopt those tactics purely to convince him to stay. Pretty poor IMV if so. I suspect he's being pencilled in for some action next season and he's getting to train with the first team to bring him on and acclimatise him.
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To be fair, we seem to be doing the same thing with Forson. Fergie did it with Pogba in the past. It happens.
 
Remember the geese said:
To be fair, we seem to be doing the same thing with Forson. Fergie did it with Pogba in the past. It happens.
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Erik is actually playing Forson. I don't believe for a second that he's risking his own managerial career at United in order to convince a youngster to sign a new deal. I think it's more about trying to infuse this lethargic team with youthful exuberance and fearlessness. It's not worked so far with Forson though.

With Pogba we clearly wanted him to stay and he'd have genuinely been introduced into the first team fold proper, but SAF dallied and he had a cnut of an agent, so there's that.
 
Bastian said:
You think we'd adopt those tactics purely to convince him to stay. Pretty poor IMV if so. I suspect he's being pencilled in for some action next season and he's getting to train with the first team to bring him on and acclimatise him.
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If it takes involvement in first team training to convince him to stay, so be it. Of course it also means that he is a talented player.

He has played a total of 456 minutes of U18s football in his career. Zero minutes for the U21s. He’s not getting first team football next season unless something drastic happens.

Even if we somehow were able to give some more minutes to academy players as early as that, there are a few players (Williams, Lacey) who are probably in front of him in the pecking order.
 
Bastian said:
Erik is actually playing Forson. I don't believe for a second that he's risking his own managerial career at United in order to convince a youngster to sign a new deal. I think it's more about trying to infuse this lethargic team with youthful exuberance and fearlessness. It's not worked so far with Forson though.

With Pogba we clearly wanted him to stay and he'd have genuinely been introduced into the first team fold proper, but SAF dallied and he had a cnut of an agent, so there's that.
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Don’t think he is playing Forson because of his contract situation.

Having Mantato train with the first team is not going to risk his managerial career.
 
top1whoisman said:
Don’t think he is playing Forson because of his contract situation.

Having Mantato train with the first team is not going to risk his managerial career.
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I just made that first point. And I did not content the second. I do think he's being acclimatised, which I think is promising.
 
Bastian said:
I just made that first point. And I did not content the second. I do think he's being acclimatised, which I think is promising.
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As is the case with every player who goes up to train with the first team.

Anyway, yes it’s a great experience for him. Still think it’s partly due to his contract situation. And I don’t think he’ll play for the first team next season.
 
top1whoisman said:
As is the case with every player who goes up to train with the first team.

Anyway, yes it’s a great experience for him. Still think it’s partly due to his contract situation. And I don’t think he’ll play for the first team next season.
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If ETH is still in situ I wager that he will get an appearance or two.
 
Bastian said:
Erik is actually playing Forson. I don't believe for a second that he's risking his own managerial career at United in order to convince a youngster to sign a new deal. I think it's more about trying to infuse this lethargic team with youthful exuberance and fearlessness. It's not worked so far with Forson though.

With Pogba we clearly wanted him to stay and he'd have genuinely been introduced into the first team fold proper, but SAF dallied and he had a cnut of an agent, so there's that.
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Forson's contract is up in the summer and he has no business making appearances for us. Though, we are particularly hard up for options so yeah, there is that.

Fergie definitely wanted Pogba to stay and I agree that he would have eventually been introduced into the first team fold, but he was too slow about giving him appearances. Then when he realised that there was a very real possibility that Pogba could leave us, he began to give him a few sub appearances clearly as a means to get him to stay.
 
Remember the geese said:
Forson's contract is up in the summer and he has no business making appearances for us. Though, we are particularly hard up for options so yeah, there is that.

Fergie definitely wanted Pogba to stay and I agree that he would have eventually been introduced into the first team fold, but he was too slow about giving him appearances. Then when he realised that there was a very real possibility that Pogba could leave us, he began to give him a few sub appearances clearly as a means to get him to stay.
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Aye, but if Fergie had been that stressed he'd have used him that time he played Rafael and Park in midfield.
 
Bastian said:
Aye, but if Fergie had been that stressed he'd have used him that time he played Rafael and Park in midfield.
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He should have done. Though even if Pogba had signed a new deal under Fergie, he probably would have left us at some point a few years after Fergie retired anyway.
 
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