Anthony Elanga's Man City transfer decision vindicated amid Manchester United rise to prominence

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Manchester United’s newest kid on the block, Anthony Elanga, is thriving this season.

After making two senior appearances last term, Elanga was back with the Under-23s at the start of this campaign and struggling to get a first-team look in.

Afforded just 17 senior minutes under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, it was Ralf Rangnick's appointment which has changed Elanga's fortunes. He was a late cameo in the interim manager's first game in charge - a win over Crystal Palace - and then started the following game three days later - a 1-1 draw with Young Boys in the Champions League.

Elanga has since scored three times in 11 further appearances across the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League, including the vital equaliser on Tuesday as United held Atletico Madrid to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

But things could have been very different should Elanga had taken a different route to stardom when he was much younger.

Forder, Elanga's former youth coach at Hattersley FC, told The Sun last month: “[Manchester] City showed interest at first and he had a few training sessions with them.

He added: “One of the parents was a scout and he contacted United's chief scout, who looked at him. I think it was an 8-1 defeat but Anthony was outstanding."

Elanga was aged just 11 at the time and eventually joined United’s academy from Hattersley FC the following year.

Had Anthony Elanga joined City, his chances of making it to the first team at 19 years of age would have been far slimmer.

Despite his clear quality, the long line of world-class attackers ahead of Elanga in the City pecking order is arguably the most daunting in the world. Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Bernardo