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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
TOM DUTTON

Manchester United boast 'three of world's best teenagers'... and they want to sign a fourth

Manchester United boast three of the top 50 teenage superstars in world football, according to work compiled by Football Talent Scout.

They have produced a list of the leading 50 emerging teens in football, with Real Madrid target Rayan Cherki top of the pile.

The 16-year-old has shone at Lyon this season, but the decision to void the campaign reportedly means his release clause can be triggered because they will miss out on a Champions League spot next season.

Mason Greenwood is ranked third as the top name from the Premier League, with no less than three Arsenal players in the top 10.

Just outside the top 10 are Chelsea's Billy Gilmour and Manchester United target Jude Bellingham, while United have two further representatives in the top 50, in Hannibal Mejbri and James Garner.

Greenwood has excelled this season, scoring five Premier League goals in four starts before the season was suspended due to coronavirus.

Recently asked to compare the United starlet to team-mate Marcus Rashford, Gary Neville said: "In some ways [Greenwood is] more composed and a bit more classy, less raw, he looks well above his age group in terms of his composure and his temperament.

"I think Manchester United have got a real star there.

"We've been wrong before, you talk about Adnan Januzaj, I thought he was going to be world-class, but I think Greenwood is going to be the real thing."

(Getty Images)

And there are a number of players following Greenwood along the well-worn path from Manchester United academy to senior side.

Of the current class Mejbri (above) is the standout academy player, with distinctive curls and the No10 on his back, he was signed from Monaco for £6m in the belief he could be a future superstar of French football.

Along with him, Garner was among a clutch of academy graduates - including Tahith Chong and Angel Gomes - who were prevented from going out on loan in the second half of last season because Solskjaer wanted to size up their potential to make the step up.

Check out the Football Talent Scout's top 50 in full by clicking here.

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