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IN December 2019, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was temporary manager at Manchester United and there was very little transfer activity to get excited about.
The signing of 16-year-old Noam Emeran from French side Amiens was the only incoming name in an otherwise uninteresting January window that saw Marouane Fellaini leave the club.

Noam Emeran was the first signing of the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era in 2019Credit: Getty Images – Getty

After struggling his first year, Emeran has pushed on this season for Man Utd’s U18 sideCredit: Getty Images – Getty

The fact that the Red Devils had beaten the likes of PSG and Juventus to Emeran’s signature might’ve excited some fans.
But after struggling initially, the talented winger, now 18, could have fallen by the wayside. However, now he is beginning to settle into life in Manchester.
He’s currently starring for the U18 side, as well as been blooded into the U23’s.
And it was advice from Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney, which seems to have helped him turn a corner.

‘DETERMINATION’ IS KEY
Capped at U16 level by France, the fleet-footed forward was highly thought of in his homeland.
Manchester United weren’t his only suitors, with a host of other European giants watching his progress.
But he chose to come to England, where he believed he would get the best coaching to reach his potential.
“After talking to my family, I think it was the best choice over what I was offered to help reach the top level,” he told French local newspaper Le Courrier Picard.

On his arrival, he met Wayne Rooney who offered Emeran a nugget of truth.

Emeran has the ability to reach the topCredit: Getty Images – Getty

When he arrived at the club, Man Utd legend Wayne Rooney told Emeran that he had to push himselfCredit: Instagram / @emeran.n
“He told me: A player makes good or bad his career choice based on his determination,” Emeran told Le Parisien .
“I realised that I had to be demanding of myself.”
INJURY-HAMPERED FIRST YEAR
When adapting to a new life and culture, a footballer needs to stay fit.
Unfortunately for Noam, his first season at the club was hampered by injuries and loss of confidence.
But, even though his career had initially failed to ignite, United’s youth coaches had seen enough to understand the ability the wide man had.

Emeran is at his best when he’s running at his defenderCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Although he had an injury-plagued time as a scholar, United saw enough potential to offer him a pro contractCredit: Instagram / @emeran.n
Possessing a wand of a left foot, he’s a menace when running at a defender and also has an eye for goal.
It was no surprise he was handed a pro contract, even though he had his problems in his first year as a scholar.
According to reports, Emeran was also a major influence in fellow U18 wonderkid Hannibal Mejbri choosing to join United from Monaco in 2019 for £9million.
FAITH REWARDED
With the belief of United’s U-18 coach Neil Ryan in him, Emeran has shone for United’s youth sides this season.
Back in December, he was man of the match against Liverpool – providing three assists in a 4-3 win at the Aon Training Complex.
He, alongside Charlie McNeill, Dillon Hoogewerf, and Joe Hugill offer a frightening front four that have helped United’s U18 side climb to the top of the U18 Premier League table.
Emeran’s managed three goals and five assists from 13 games, and been one of the more consistent performers.

Emeran produced a man of the match display against Liverpool back in DecemberCredit: Getty Images – Getty

So far Emeran has scored three goals and assisted five for United’s U18 teamCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Chances in the U23’s have been limited – with the youngster making just two appearances from the bench.
But, United are just letting him flourish for now in his age group.
Given what Rooney told him, you can bet Emeran will keep working on his game to prove he has what it takes to light up Old Trafford in the future.

16-year old Manchester United signing Noam Emeran shows off his skills with stunning free kick More

BOCA JUNIORS could not have had a better warm up for Sunday’s clash against their great Buenos Aires rivals River Plate.
And Carlos Tevez could not have had a better return to the team after taking some time off to mourn the death of his father.

Edinson Cavani could be heading to Boca JuniorsCredit: AFP

Away to an attractive Velez Sarsfield team, coached by former Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino, Boca won by an astonishing 7-1 margin.
Instead of playing Tevez behind a centre forward, they used him as a false nine, dropping to combine and opening up space for Colombian winger Sebastian Villa to cut in from the left.
In turn that opened up space for Colombian playmaker Edwin Cardona to thread his passes from the left of midfield.
The parts clicked wonderfully well. Playing without a specialist centre forward seemed to suit the team.

But there is excitement in Argentina that Boca will soon have the services of a genuine world class centre forward – Manchester United’s Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani.
Argentine football plays big in its much smaller neighbour. And Cavani grew up watching a fellow Uruguayan, Sergio Martinez, bang in the goals for Boca during the mid 1990s.
He always had the ambition to pull on the famous blue and yellow shirt – and there are hopes in Argentina that he could be just a few months away from crossing that one off the list.
Cavani has made a far bigger impression at Old Trafford than many had predicted. He has shown that even at the age of 34 he still has plenty to offer – and plenty to teach some of his younger team-mates.

Cavani’s current deal with Manchester United expires at the end of the seasonCredit: PA:Press Association
His deal, which runs up to the end of the season, could be renewed for another year – providing both parties agree.
But the player has confessed that in the conditions of the pandemic it has not been easy for him to settle into Manchester.
Boca would offer the chance for him to go home – his native town of Salto is a little more than 200 miles away from Buenos Aires. And there is a chance at glory.
Boca have not won the Copa Libertadores, South America’s Champions League, since 2007. But they keep getting close – they reached the semi finals in the last two years, and were beaten finalists the year before.
With the knock out stage taking place in the second half of the year, Cavani could see out the Premier League season with United and then cross the Atlantic in time for the big games in the Libertadores.

Should Cavani leave Old Trafford for Boca he would have to take a hefty paycutCredit: Getty Images – Getty

It would mean taking a significant pay cut. According to the Argentine press, Cavani would want a three year deal, and would be happy to earn in that time the money he can make in one year with United where he earns around £200,000-a-week.
But even meeting these terms would not be easy for Boca, and there could be some delicate negotiations between the player and Boca director and former midfield maestro Juan Roman Riquelme.
For the time being, then, Edinson Cavani stays at Manchester United and Boca, without a specialist centre forward, prepare to take on River Plate.

Man Utd star Edinson Cavani has been taking ballet lessons to help strength and stamina More