When pre-season rolls around, along with the excitement of new transfers and departures, is the eagerness to see the youth players in action. Clubs and managers usually see pre-season as the perfect time to integrate some young players into the first team and give them a taste of what it means to play in the senior side. Manchester United are no different and given the club’s rich history of producing world-class talents from their fabled youth Academy, it is no surprise that fans are interested to see a glimpse of what could be their next star.
WHO IS MATEO MEJIA?
United’s academy currently has a roster filled with talent, with the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Isak Hansen-Aaoren, Alvaro Fernandez, Joe Hugill and others on their books. Alongside these future stars is one more name that has been making the waves recently and it is that of Colombian striker Mateo Mejia. The forward arrived as a transfer from Spanish side Real Zaragoza in the summer of 2019 with great expectations, joining United’s U-18 side. He had a tragic debut for the club however, suffering an injury on his debut, forcing him to a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Meija appeared for his side almost 9 months later, and had to work hard to get back to playing regularly in the U-18 side. He scored in only his second appearance after returning from injury, almost instantly showing why United signed him. He has showed promise and talent whenever he has played, and has been highly rated by his coaches throughout the youth setup. Since 2021, he has been promoted to the U-21 side, and has been playing in the Premier League 2.
THE RISE OF MATEO MEJIA
The Colombian he scored twice last season against Arsenal and Leicester City and assisted four times, earning plaudits for his performances throughout the seasons. His displays caught the eye of United manager Erik ten Hag, who promoted him to first team training, when Marcus Rashford suffered an injury last season. Operating primarily as a right-winger, Meija has the ability to play across all three positions in attack and has proven to be potent in any position he’s tasked with playing.
His dribbling has been praised by his coaches as well as his teammates and his quick feet have proved to be a headache for defenders. The 20-year-old has shown maturity and calmness on the ball far beyond his years and has shown a penchant for taking on opposition defenders and beating them easily with his pace. His pace and dribbling combined with his quick feet has often resembled a young Gareth Bale, with viewers left impressed with his devilish trickery on the wing.
The Colombian has recently signed a new contract with the club and was named on the retained list by the club at the end of last season. It is no secret that Erik ten Hag and his coaching staff are fans of the young forward and sees him taking the same path as Alejandro Garnacho, the young Argentinian star, who made his breakthrough last season and starred throughout the season. However, if reports are to be believed the young forward is set to be sent on loan for the season ahead, with the manager hoping to transition him into senior football, similar to the likes of Hannibal Mjebri.
Erik ten Hag has a great track record of promoting youth and at the same time playing exciting football. Manchester United as well has an astonishing and highly successful history of producing and promoting youngsters into the first-team, which makes it a very attractive place for any talented youth player. Mateo Mejia has all the skills and temperament of a future star. With United now facing problems in the striking department, Mejia could smell an opportunity to become an unlikely solution. If the Red Devils opt to send him out on loan, it will undoubtedly be a great learning for the youngster.
