Diego Leon has spoken about what his manager, Michael Carrick, has told him as he awaits his debut for the Manchester United first team.
During the summer transfer window, Manchester United brought in four new first-team stars, with their spending amounting to a total in the region of £200 million.
The Reds brought in a trio of attackers in Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško, who have all played their part in changing United’s fortunes in front of goal.
As well as these three, United also made a couple of lesser-known acquisitions, with Senne Lammens being brought in to provide competition between the sticks, and Diego Leon being signed to join the academy.
As for Leon, the young Paraguayan has yet to feature for the Reds in the Premier League, although he has now spoken about what Michael Carrick has told him regarding his development.
Leon on life in England
Leon, who impressed during United’s pre-season in the United States, has spent the majority of the campaign playing for the U21s, where he has recorded one goal in nine appearances from left-back.
The 18-year-old South American has spoken with Versus Sports, via Manchester World, about how he has adjusted to life in England, as well as what he needs to do to grow as a player.
The United defender said, “At the beginning, it was a bit difficult, honestly. When I first arrived, I didn’t understand any English. My girlfriend and I would go out, and people would speak to us, and I felt very uncomfortable because they were talking and we didn’t understand anything.
“When I arrived at training, the players wanted to talk to me, and I couldn’t speak with them. That bothered me quite a lot. Then I told myself: I have to learn English.
What Carrick told Leon
Moving on to how he is finding his new life in England, Leon spoke about how he ‘lacks maturity’ and needs to improve in both the technical and tactical aspects of the sport.
When speaking about what he had been told by head coach Carrick, the teenager added, “He told me to stay calm, to try to improve tactically and to attack more often, but when I attack, I also have to come back with the same intensity.
“It’s pretty clear that I still have a way to go. I lack maturity, the physical aspect, the tactical and technical aspects, but I feel like I’m improving. They tell me to stay calm and that it’s quite normal. They tell me that coming from Paraguay makes a huge difference. The Premier League isn’t easy.
“The thing that surprised me the most was the intensity. On the first day we did a small-sided game. I went to press a player, and before I could even get close, the ball was already behind me again. The speed of play forced him to adapt quickly. It was very fast. I realised straight away how big the difference is.”
It seems the young defender has a wise head on his shoulders, despite his age, and, with the right development, he will hopefully grow into the first team over the next few years.
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