16y/o Man Utd sensation included in matchday squad v Ipswich after blowing Amorim away
Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has included Godwill Kukonki in the first-team matchday squad for the first time, according to Academy Scoop.
The Academy Scoop is a reputable source for youth football transfer news and analysis, with specific coverage and focus on Man United’s academy, and they have claimed on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that the 16-year-old defender will be travelling to Ipswich Town later today.
Kukonki has impressed Amorim in the training sessions since the Portuguese started work on Monday, and he has been rewarded with a spot in the team.
The teenage sensation joined Man United when he was five, signing a scholarship deal in the summer and he trained with the first-team for the first time on Monday.
Kukonki has impressed with his performances for the Red Devils under-18s in the eight appearances he has made in the U18 Premier League so far and has also been a regular with the under-21s.
The versatile 6ft 5in defender, who can also play at left-back, has started once in the UEFA Youth League, with an assist to his name.
Amorim handed senior debuts to 27 players from the Sporting academy during his time as their manager, and while Kukonki is unlikely to make his Premier League debut today, he could be inching closer to it from the look of things.
Alejandro Garnacho, Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo established themselves as first-team regulars under former Man United boss Erik ten Hag, and Kukonki could soon follow suit under Amorim.
He has taken his chance in just a few training sessions, and more youth players will be desperate to impress to the Portuguese going forward if given the opportunity to train with the first-team.
Article written by Alani .