Anthony Elanga came up through the ranks of Manchester United’s academy before making his first team debut towards the end of last season.
A month later, the forward made his debut for Sweden’s U21 side, and since then he has seven goals from seven matches for them. He has also added four appearances to his name with the Red Devils this season.
The 19-year-old’s development at United and with his country’s U21 side has already caught the attention of Sweden manager, Janne Andersson, who was keen on including the player in his squad for January’s friendlies.
Manchester United, however, turned down the request as Ralf Rangnick is determined to include Elanga in his plans at Old Trafford. The latter has made two appearances under the German, which includes one start in the Champions League.
Over the last 48 hours, various reports in the British press have indicated the player is close to signing a new long-term contract at United. Although the news is yet to be made official, Andersson has expressed his delight over the latest claims.
“It is clearly positive that he gets to play more and if the information is correct that they will offer a long-term contract, that is good. It shows that they believe in him,” Andersson told Fotbollskanalen.
The national team manager also said Elanga could soon make his debut for Sweden if he manages to feature regularly for United.
“You could say that in general, if you play at a high level, the chances increase, so be it. He grows all the time, the more players who get to play in their club, the better it is for the national team. So, it’s really nice if that’s true,” he explained.
