‘I would never have dreamed of it’: Facundo Pellistri revels in sealing £10m Manchester United move just 14 months after making professional debut with Uruguayan side Penarol
- Facundo Pellistri, 18, has signed a five-year contract at Manchester United
- The winger only made his professional debut for Penarol in August of last year
- He admits the feeling of joining United so soon after his bow has yet to sink in
- United beat off a rival bid from French side Lyon to sign Pellistri on deadline day
Facundo Pellistri claims he could never have dreamed of playing for Manchester United so early in his career following his £10million deadline-day move to Old Trafford.
The 18-year-old Uruguayan will go straight into the first-team at Old Trafford having joined the club from Penarol and has signed a five-year contract with the option of a further year.
The winger only made his professional debut for the Uruguayan side in August last year and admits the feeling of joining United just 14 months on from his bow has yet to fully sink in.
Facundo Pellestri says he could never have dreamed of playing for Manchester United so soon
The 18-year-old winger only made his professional debut for Penarol in August of last year
‘It’s incredible that I only made my debut with the senior team a little more than a year ago,’ Pellistri told Telemundo.
‘It was unimaginable already to play in the first team with Penarol and now to do it with Manchester United, I would never have dreamed of it and it is something very emotional for me and my family.’
United beat off competition from Lyon after the Ligue 1 side also submitted a rival bid for Pellistri, while Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Napoli and Manchester City had also been circling.
The winger has now revealed he cannot wait to get started at Old Trafford having watched the Premier League’s ‘great teams’ growing up.
But he is set to go into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team squad after his deadline-day move
‘There was a lot of talk about the two offers and luckily they tried to leave me out of it as much as possible so as not to go crazy,’ Pellistri added.
‘First came Lyon and then Manchester and I am very happy with the opportunity.
‘It’s a league that I always watch with my parents, seeing the great teams and you can’t imagine going to play there.
United beat off competition from Lyon and other major European clubs to sign Pellistri
‘Now that I have the chance to play there, I’m eager to start a new adventure and see how the rhythm is and if it is as fast as they say.’
The winger is an exciting talent who was coached at Penarol by former United forward Diego Forlan, who recommended the youngster to his former employers, having coached him before he left his Penarol post last month.
‘Pellistri has huge potential,’ Forlan said back in April. ‘He is growing and he makes the difference. We know it will be difficult to keep him for a long time.’
Former United striker Diego Forlan recommended winger Pellistri to the Old Trafford club
