'I trained with Ruud van Nistelrooy this summer – I want to become Man Utd's next No. 9'

Ruud van Nistelrooy has been lauded since taking up an adjunct relation with erstwhile nine Manchester United, and 1 subordinate has specifically sung his praises

Manchester United starlet Joe Hugill is taking inspiration from Ruud van Nistelrooy and wants to go the Red Devils’ adjacent large No. 9.

Durham-born Hugill signed with United’s academy successful 2020 and, having embarked on a bid of loans and pre-season tours, yet announced himself successful a affable this July with a stunning extremity against Rangers.

Currently loaned retired to Wigan Athletic, Hugill has been mentored by immoderate of his genitor club’s all-time large strikers, including adjunct to Erik 10 Hag, Van Nistelrooy, and erstwhile manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Now, astatine 21, Hugill has his sights acceptable connected yet emulating those who person coached him, by starring the enactment astatine Old Trafford upon his return.

Arriving astatine Carrington the aforesaid twelvemonth that prima winger Alejandro Garnacho touched down and having emerged arsenic portion of the aforesaid harvest of endowment arsenic Kobbie Mainoo, Hugill started his vocation with Newcastle earlier switching to rivals Sunderland.

Four years aft making the £300,000 determination to Manchester, Hugill was handed a accidental successful pre-season and took afloat vantage with his viral onslaught successful Scotland.

When questioned astir his goal, the youngster compared it to 1 emblematic of Van Nistelrooy, the antheral who had already been helping refine his striking skills.

"He’s conscionable a spot earlier my time," Hugill began, admitting to MEN how helium viewed the Dutch coach. "We knew of him, however helium was 1 of the champion finishers successful the Premier League.

"That’s what we were joking astir erstwhile I scored against Rangers, saying that I was watching him the nighttime before. But I’ve truly enjoyed moving with him, having that fig to look up to was bully for me."

Van Nistelrooy supposedly complimented Hugill for his goal, arsenic the Englishman added: "He said however bully the decorativeness was, the question to make the abstraction for me, however composed I was, and I knew what I wanted to bash consecutive away.

"We did presumption circumstantial connected the pitch," Hugill recollects connected his enactment with Van Nistelrooy earlier this summer. "A batch of the 8s moving on, creating opportunities for the 9s with the crosses, antithetic types of crosses coming into the box, wherever helium wants the 9s to be. He did his ain drills to assistance the guardant players out."

Van Nistelrooy, who has been highly praised for specified sessions since returning to Manchester, wasn’t the lone ex-United marksman who helped signifier Hugill. The manager who brought the 21-year-old to Old Trafford, Solskjaer, besides played his part.

"I worked good with Ole, particularly with him being a striker arsenic well. It helped maine a lot,” Hugill admitted, besides citing erstwhile United assistants Michael Carrick – present Middlesbrough's manager – and Kieran Mckenna – who is presently Ipswich Town’s caput manager successful the Premier League aft starring them to successive promotions – arsenic different influences.

“I went down to London with them and that was my archetypal clip being astir the archetypal squad for a mates of weeks, truthful I truly enjoyed that,” Hugill added. “Michael Carrick and Kieran McKenna helped maine a batch arsenic well, and you look astatine what they’re doing now. You could ever consciousness similar they were apical coaches."

With specified highly regarded mentors, Hugill has acceptable his sights to a akin level. The striker has recovered the nett doubly for the Latics successful League One truthful acold and hopes to bash the aforesaid for the Red Devils successful the future.

When asked astir his aims for this term, Hugill responded: "Kick connected arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable – to beryllium United’s No. 9 is each young lad’s dream. I ever backmost myself 100 per cent. Always 100% going for something."

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