GARETH SOUTHGATE has been told he is about to welcome into his England dressing room “a cold-hearted killer”.
Rio Ferdinand reckons there are few deadlier strikers around at the moment than Mason Greenwood.
Mason Greenwood is expected to be named in Gareth Southgate’s senior England squadCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Rio Ferdinand has backed Greenwood to shine for the Three LionsCredit: PA:Press Association
Manchester United’s teen sensation is expected to be handed his first England call-up on Tuesday when boss Southgate names his squad for next month’s Nations League clashes in Iceland and Denmark.
And former Three Lions and Red Devils star Ferdinand said: “Mason is a cold-hearted killer, a great finisher.
“Just look at his videos and watch him from when he was a kid — he’s not doing anything different now.
“He’s just doing it on a different pitch and in a bigger stadium, with more people watching. He’s got all the same habits.
“He’s a natural goalscorer who is going to score loads and loads of goals.”
Greenwood, 18, burst on the scene at Old Trafford this season with 17 goals in all competitions.
He is now being widely tipped to keep his place in Southgate’s squad for the delayed Euro 2020 finals next summer.
Ex-defender Ferdinand, who is now a BT Sport pundit, won 81 caps for England from 1997 to 2011.
Could the Euros being delayed by a year actually work out for Mason? Probably, yeah.
Rio Ferdinand
He believes the Euros being put back a year due to the coronavirus crisis could end up doing Greenwood — and England — a big favour.
And Ferdinand has no qualms about the red-hot Red Devil rookie’s tenders years.
He explained: “Could the Euros being delayed by a year actually work out for Mason? Probably, yeah.
“But the great players, when they’re ready, they’re ready. You don’t care about their age.
“Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney are two great examples.
“Owen burst on to the scene at the 1998 World Cup and Mason could do the same, given the chance.
“I love him. He’s a great talent and what I also love about him is his demeanour, his character.
“No matter the stage, same face, same expression, same way he carries himself.
“He knows he’s good enough. ‘Just give me the ball and I’ll do it’.
“He ain’t got all that stuff going on off the pitch. There are no airs and graces about him. There isn’t anything else he’s worried about.
“He’s just worried about how good he can be as a footballer. Which is what I really love.”
Bradford-born Greenwood came through United’s academy after being spotted at their development school in Halifax at the age of just six.
He gave a glimpse of what was to follow when he finished 2017-18 as top scorer in the Premier League North Under-18 division — despite still being at school and eligible for U-16 level.
That caught the attention of then-United boss Jose Mourinho, who selected the youngster for the club’s pre-season tour of the USA before rubber stamping his first professional contract a few months later.
And Greenwood has really started to flourish since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer succeeded Mourinho at Old Trafford in December 2018.
The teenage prospect made his senior debut for the club in their thrilling Champions League last-16, second-leg salvo against Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes in March last year.
Greenwood celebrated with Marcus Rashford after the fellow homegrown star’s last-gasp penalty sealed a 3-1 victory to overturn their 2-0 first-leg deficit and see them through.
His Prem bow also came off the bench in their 2-0 defeat at Arsenal four days later.
And Greenwood was handed his first start in the final game of the season against Cardiff.
After seeing his side finish the campaign sixth in the table — a whopping 32 points behind champions and noisy neighbours City — and with only one victory in their last nine matches in all competitions, Solskjaer needed to lift the gloom.
He also needed to instil some optimism at Old Trafford this season.
And, make no mistake, Greenwood’s emergence has helped do that.
The two-footed frontman may also have saved the Red Devils from having to fork out £150m on a new striker.
Greenwood, it appears, is the real deal. And that can only be good news for his club and country.
Greenwood was thrown on in the Champions League tie in ParisCredit: Reuters
Having already featured for England at U-15, U-17 and U-18 level, he now looks set to become a fixture in the senior squad after just four appearances for the U-21s.
As the adage goes, If you are good enough, you are old enough. And Greenwood certainly seems that.
Dig out the bunting, the nation might end up actually being thankful that Euro 2020 was delayed.
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Neil Custis expects huge things from Man Utd’s Mason Greenwood in the future
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
