Marcus Rashford is the most difficult Manchester United player to play against in training, according to Teden Mengi.
Mengi is currently on loan with Derby County for the remainder of the 2020/21 season after being recruited by Wayne Rooney for the club’s battle against relegation from the Championship.
However, the 18-year-old defender spent the first half of the season training with Ole Gunnar Solksjaer’s side having been promoted from United’s under-23 side.
After making his senior debut as a late substitute against LASK in August the academy graduate was included in United’s squads for Carabao Cup wins over Luton Town and Brighton.
Mengi has been a part of plenty United training sessions under Solskjaer this season and the centre-back believes Rashford stands out in practice.
“It has to be Rashy,” he told YouTube channel UMM when asked who was the toughest player to face in training.
“He sees things faster, in fact, than you can see it. His pace, it’s mad. It’s tough to defend against.”
Mengi came through the United academy and has represented the club right the way through the age categories.
He has been on a similar pathway to current United first team players and has a particularly close relationship with striker Mason Greenwood.
“We went to the United school from year 9, me and Mason, and that’s when we both started becoming tight, strong, really good friends,” Mengi said.
“He’s motivated me and I help him everyday that I can. It’s good to have Mason around me.”
While his closest friendship is with Greenwood, Mengi has had other positive influences on him at the club and he has special praise for full-back Brandon Williams, who has broken into the first team under Solskjaer.
“I know he’s not played a lot [this season],” he said. “He’s a lad that just gets his head down and does the business when the business needs to be done.
“He got recognised for that, because at the start of last season me and him were both playing in the under-23s and he was just working hard and hard and he got his result out of it by going up to the first team.”
Mengi is currently under the wing of Rooney, but former United player Rio Ferdinand has also been a mentor during his career.
“He’s really inspirational for me because obviously you know what he’s done at United, in the same position as me,” he added.
“He helps me to this day. He always texts me to see how I’m doing.”
