Ralf Rangnick expects 'top mentality player' Anthony Elanga to raise the bar

Manchester United interim manager Ralf Rangnick believes forward Anthony Elanga is ready to take his game to the next level after being impressed by the youngster.

The German boss is huge fan of Elanga’s mentality, and is tipping the 20-year-old to kick on again when Erik ten Hag takes the reins at Old Trafford this summer.

"He has a clear head, and is a top mentality player," Rangnick told Manchester United’s website.

"I'm sure he can take and make the next steps, which are also important for him to take.

"It's not for him an issue of character or mentality. I'm pretty sure, whenever I saw him train or play, even in the first training session the night before the Crystal Palace game, I knew his name but had never seen him play before.

"So I asked my coaching staff at the time, Kieran [McKenna] and Darren Fletcher: ‘Who is he? I haven’t seen him play before'.

Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo during Manchester United training at Carrington ahead of Thursday's Premier League game against Chelsea at Old Trafford. All photos by Getty

"Since then, he has always been a player who gave his very best, where I could always be assured what kind of level, physical level and mentality level, he will invest.”

Elanga was handed his debut by former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in May 2021, in the 2-1 defeat to Leicester City.

The Swedish star is one of several talented teenagers who the club are likely to turn to, following injuries to both defender Harry Maguire and forward Jadon Sancho.

Rangnick is prepared to give more United youngsters the chance to impress, but will only do so when the time is right.

The likes of Alejandro Garnacho and Alvaro Fernandez could soon follow in the footsteps of Elanga in gracing the Old Trafford