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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
Richard Fay

What Erik ten Hag told Isak Hansen-Aarøen before Manchester United debut

Isak Hansen-Aarøen says it was a dream come true to finally make his Manchester United debut in their 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano at the weekend.

The 17-year-old came on in the second-half of the match for his first taste of senior action in a United shirt as Erik ten Hag's side ended their pre-season schedule with a draw at Old Trafford. Hansen-Aarøen will be hoping for further opportunities next season after impressing coaches this summer. And it certainly bodes well that he is on the radar of the new United manager.

"I just sat the whole game and waited for him to say my name," he told Dagbladet about the Vallecano match. "When he [Ten Hag] finally said the name, he asked if I needed to warm up. I said 'no no, I can go straight on'.

READ MORE: Ten Hag can reveal his approach with midfield decision

"He only said how we should press, where I should position myself, but he only said that I should go out and enjoy myself.

"It was a lot of fun! I should say so much about how I feel. I don't know where to start.

"It's a dream I've had for as long as I can remember. That it happens, it's absolutely insane. I haven't quite figured it out yet. It's a bit like that when you're suddenly on the field, you don't have time to think about it completely. But it's the dream life I'm living now."

Hansen-Aarøen will be expected to take on a more prominent role for United at youth level during the upcoming season, but he could also get further first-team training opportunities and possible squad involvement with Ten Hag's first team.

He added: "I have received feedback that is very positive about what I have achieved and what I have done. I just think that I will enjoy football and play as well as possible.

"There is starting to be a lot of training with him. I think it's hugely exciting to see how this can go. It seems very positive. If you look a bit at how he has worked with young boys before and the things he has already done, it seems exciting.

"I usually just live in the present. I think I'm going to enjoy football. That's really the most important thing to me. I just take it day by day."

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