Who is Godwill Kukonki? 16-year-old star in Man Utd squad for Arsenal game

16-year-old Godwill Kukonki has been included successful the Manchester United squad for tonight’s Premier League clash against Arsenal.

Kukonki trained with the elder squad successful 1 of Ruben Amorim’s archetypal sessions astatine Carrington and travelled with the squad down to Ipswich for his archetypal crippled successful complaint successful November.

While helium did not marque the seat that day, helium would look to person near an content connected the Portuguese coach, making the seat for tonight’s clash astatine the Emirates.

United are abbreviated of left-sided options astatine the backmost with Lisandro Martinez suspended. Luke Shaw would person been expected to slot into that relation connected the near of the backmost 3 but a caller wounded stroke has sidelined the England international.

Who is Godwill Kukonki?

Kukonki is simply a left-footed centre-half who has already shown to beryllium a versatile enactment crossed the backline, besides filling successful astatine left-back.

While helium precocious made the Under-21s squad, the teen has shone for the Under-18s this term, playing 8 retired of 9 games for a broadside inactive to driblet points successful the league this word having besides kept 7 cleanable sheets successful that run.

Given his versatility and carnal attributes, determination person been aboriginal comparisons with Manchester City prima Josko Gvardiol.

Despite his tender years, Kukonki stands astatine a towering 6ft 5ins. Being a earthy left-footer, helium is an absorbing enactment Amorim whitethorn see going guardant successful that backmost 3 strategy with Martinez the lone enactment fitting that peculiar measure astatine the moment.

Shaw has slotted into that relation 3 times disconnected the seat nether the caller manager but much wounded problems mean helium is not presently an option.

Will Godwill Kukonki play against Arsenal?

Kukonki is successful the squad contiguous and it would surely beryllium immoderate connection if Amorim were to propulsion him in.

During his years astatine Sporting, Amorim handed debuts to 9 teenagers, including Geovany Quenda successful September with the 17-year-old swiftly becoming an important first-team player.

‘You request young guys, guys from the Academy for everything,’ Amorim told a property league this week erstwhile asked however helium intends to usage United’s young endowment astatine his disposal.

‘To bring that past to the club…. due to the fact that they consciousness the nine successful a antithetic way. But besides due to the fact that you person each these rules astir fiscal just play, you person each these players from our academy, is truthful overmuch antithetic from the players we bought and sell. Everything is connected, I volition effort assistance each the players, particularly the young ones.’

MORE: England and Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi explains wherefore helium wrote ‘I emotion Jesus’ connected LGBTQ+ rainbow armband

MORE: Man Utd nonstop scouts to ticker 2 Porto stars up of January transportation window

MORE: England and Man Utd fable Wayne Rooney tipped for astonishment Premier League job