When Gareth Southgate announced his England squad for the final international break of 2021, there was enough of discussion around centre-backs .
Questions were asked as to why the likes of out-of-form duet Harry Maguire and Tyrone Mings had been selected ahead of younger and more in-form players like Fikayo Tomori and Ben White .
Both Tomori and White have, of path, been called-up in recent times, and are very much on Southgate ‘s radar when it comes to revitalising his backline in the coming years.

article continues below Another who fits that bill, however, has something of a lesser-known name, though Teden Mengi surely has the endowment to make it to the very top of the english game .
The Manchester United adolescent actually trained with the senior England squad during the October international break after one of Southgate ‘s centre-backs was forced to sit out a seance due to illness .
Mengi was already at St. George ’ south Park as contribution of the U20s police squad, and was selected to step up for the due to being deemed the most feel and desirable replacement to mark the likes of Harry Kane and Tammy Abraham .
“ Opportunities you lone dream of as a young boy, ” he posted on social media after one of the more memorable weeks of his career. “ It ’ second been an honor to train with the seniors during this international break. Back to club football now with motivation on a different grade ! ”
But who is Mengi, and what makes him a electric potential England defender of the future ?
For those who follow United, Mengi is probably a recognizable name after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handed him his elder debut against LASK in the Europa League in August 2020 .
ever since that week the 19-year-old has been around the first team, regularly training with Solskjaer ‘s police squad as he waits for his following opportunity .
Mengi has been at Old Trafford since the long time of seven, and signed his first professional deal with the club in September 2019 .
From an early age he was earmarked as a top prospect, and if there was any doubt as to how highly he is regarded, that was put to bed when he was rewarded with a fresh long-run share in March 2021, which will keep him with the Red Devils until the summer of 2024 .
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United sources are keen not to talk up individuals from the academy so as not to not put besides much press on them, but Mengi has systematically been praised by coaches and managers at every degree of his development. GOAL has learned that at the age of 16, he was talking with the confidence and maturity of a first-team player .
That maturity has led to Mengi being handed the captain ‘s armband at every age group he has played at, and he can presently be found skippering United ‘s U23s side .
That hardly comes a surprise, as whenever he is spoken about either by a team-mate or coach, one of the first gear words that will be mentioned to describe the Manchester-born centre-back is ‘leader ‘.

It is an impute that Solskjaer has already recognised in Mengi, leading the norwegian to draw comparisons between the child and one of the most expensive defenders in the history of the game .
“ We always had that in the back of our minds, that our academy will provide players, and Teden has decidedly impressed me, ” Solskjaer told BBC Sport in 2020 .
“ It ’ second unlike trusting defenders on the big phase, of naturally it is. You ’ ve got to make certain he ’ randomness ready for it. You see examples of Ajax, who play in a unlike league, but Matthijs de Ligt, they made him captain when he was 18. You can see something particular in them .
“ Teden ’ second got something special in him. It ’ second about picking the right moment to give him a casual. ”
so what is it that makes Mengi stand out ?
He is comfortable on the ball, oozes composure and composure, is beneficial in the air, firm and promptly on the ground and, most importantly, he brings that maturity and leadership despite his tender years. When he has not been available for the U23s this season, his absence has been net for all to see .
In an ideal world, though, he would be playing for Neil Wood ’ randomness side at all in 2021-22. Mengi impressed on lend at Derby County last season, making nine appearances after joining the Championship equip on loanword in the January window .
His prison term at Pride Park was cut short due to injury, but it is understood that director Wayne Rooney was keen to have Mengi back at the club this season, keeping in regular contact with the adolescent throughout the summer, only for a transfer ban and ongoing fiscal issues to scupper any softwood .
“ He has been fantastic for us and we ’ ve seen him grow with each game, ” Rooney said after Mengi ’ s lend enchantment ended. The former United captain besides pointed out the trust he had in the defender to be a regular appetizer under him, despite his young age .
A failure to secure a similar go this season has not, though, affected Mengi, who regularly trains with Solskjaer ’ s elder police squad .
Coming up against Cristiano Ronaldo on a daily basis is surely one way for Mengi to develop his skills, and sources say that he has coped well with moving between inaugural team and the U23s, gaining confidence as he does while not allowing the lack of lend act or first-team opportunities frustrate him .
It is silent that a loan move in the January transportation window now looks likely, with a master of ceremonies of teams interested in taking Mengi on a temp basis .
“ I think for him it is just important he keeps getting game time, he keeps himself fresh and by January his nerve pathway might change, ” U23s coach Wood said in a holocene interview. “ He might end up going out on loanword, which I think would credibly be the case.

“ It is authoritative he gets his confidence, he gets himself playing right and he is making himself look like a good player, like he has done with the U23s. ”
If Mengi can do that, and keep growing his enviable number of admirers, then a future leading the defences of both Manchester United and England may not be beyond him .
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