Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has explained his decision to sanction temporary moves for Manchester United’s youngsters Teden Mengi and Facundo Pellistri.
The teenage duo have both featured for Neil Wood’s U23 side this season but have not registered a senior appearance and will stay out on loan until the end of the season.
Pellistri, 19, joined United from Uruguayan side Penarol on last summer’s deadline day and has trained on occasion with the first-team without making his bout for Solskjaer’s side.
The winger will join La Liga strugglers Deportivo Alaves hoping for valuable first-team minutes to aid his development.
Solskjaer believes Alaves is good club to expedite the progress he has made within the youth side.
“We feel that he has taken some good strides when he has been here and we looked at a few options,” he told MUTV, as quoted by the MEN.
“That was a good option. He felt comfortable and confident going there, so hopefully he will get some important match minutes in a good league.”
Mengi, meanwhile, has captained the U23 development side this term and joins up with Solskjaer’s former teammate Wayne Rooney at Derby County.
The 18-year-old academy product made his first-team debut in the Europa League against LASK in August and is highly-rated at Old Trafford.
Solskjaer believes the Championship represents a great platform for Mengi to impress under Rooney’s tutelage.
“When you get to that age sometimes it is not challenging enough, it doesn’t prepare him enough for that physical striker for example that they might meet in the first-team,” Solskjaer added.
“To play in the Championship is a great challenge for Teden.
“That is going to be good for him. Wayne has been a top striker and I’m sure he will go in there and show him a few things himself.”
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