Manchester United’s U21 manager Travis Binnion has praised the potential of Diego Leon but has called for calm surrounding a first-team call-up.
Diego Leon joined Manchester United from Cerro Porteño in the summer and has quickly become an impressive presence in the Academy setup.
He has produced performances to be proud of – most notably in United’s 4-1 thrashing of Tottenham, where he picked the ball up, powered through midfield, and kept his composure to slot home.
A measured approach is sensible for all parties. Leon possesses the qualities and characteristics that fit United’s transfer strategy – he’s youthfully exuberant, possesses athleticism, and has a fearless edge to his game – something that many United players have shown in their recent resurgence.
“It is evident for all to see he has some real qualities and some strong foundations to his game that he has to build on,” Binnion said. He continued: “He is aware, we are all aware, he has stuff to work on, but to be fair to the kid, he has not played a full 90 minutes yet.”
90 minutes is the key for Leon
The United U21 boss added that getting Leon through a full match will be a key milestone in his progression.
“We will be looking to tick that off pretty soon, and that will be really good for him,” Binnon explained. “If he can get a run of 90 minutes, then it is fair to look at his game and see where he is at.”
Gaining 90 minutes of experience under his belt is crucial to his early development. Gaining match sharpness will not only aid his chances of getting into first-team contention but also keep him on the proper development pathway.
The youngster has adapted quickly to the group and the pace of English football, despite his struggles to maintain his competitiveness for 90 minutes. Binnion said, “At this moment in time, he has shown real glimpses of promise and has fitted in with the group really well.”
The value of United’s Academy
Rúben Amorim rewards application – if Leon can overcome this hurdle, he may just follow in the footsteps of the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and become a favourite with the fans.
United’s academy has been a cornerstone of the club’s traditions throughout its history. The first academy graduate to make the step up to the first team was Tom Manley in 1931.
Read More: What Scott McTominay told Napoli about Kobbie Mainoo transfer as move at “advanced” stage
Since then, we have seen a “bunch of bouncing Busby Babes” who definitely deserved to be “knighted,” the class of ’92, a two-time FA Cup winner in Marcus Rashford, and Kobbie Mainoo, who scored the winner in United’s last FA Cup triumph over neighbours Manchester City.
For Diego Leon, this is an incentive – an incentive to carve out his own name in the history of Manchester United.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 14:00 pm (GMT) on the United View YouTube channel.