Manchester United teenager Facundo Pellistri reveals Lionel Messi is his insipration ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar as he is unveiled by Alaves after joining on loan until the end of the season
* Facundo Pellistri has spoken about his footballing influences
* The teenager was unveiled by Alaves on Monday after joining on loan
* Winger joined Manchester United in October in £9m move from Penarol
Manchester United teenager Facundo Pellistri claimed Lionel Messi is his biggest influence as he was unveiled by Alaves on Monday.
The 19-year-old Uruguayan completed a loan move to the Spanish side until the end of the season during the January transfer window.
Having only joined the club last October, he has been earmarked as one for the future by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he continues his development away from the Old Trafford spotlight.
Facundo Pellistri was unveiled by Alaves on Monday after his loan move from Man United
And as the teenager showed off his new blue and white colours, he listed Messi ahead of the likes of Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in his list of footballing heroes.
He said, via El Pais, that 'each player is different' but that he likes Messi's style of play more than his PSG rivals, and that he tries to copy the best of each one.
And he insists he is not afraid of competition for places as he eyes a debut against Barcelona on Saturday after he was left on the bench for the weekend victory over Valladolid.
'When you play, you grow and I look for that path,' he said.
'It is healthy, it helps and the further it is, the better level there will be.'
Pellistri, who will wear the No 37 shirt, could make his debut against Barcelona on Saturday. The 19-year-old, who joined United in October, has gone on loan until the end of the season
The Uruguayan teenager, who was recommended by the club's former player Diego Forlan, explained that he likes to play as a midfielder 'on either side'.,
He added: 'I like to overflow, assist and look for diagonals'.
Having been tipped as a star of the future, Pellistri is keeping his feet on the ground, sand maintained that the pressure does not get to him.
'Those lists come to me, I do not look at them so much although it is impossible not to see them, but it motivates me to keep moving forward', he said.
Alaves president Alfonso Fernandez de Troconiz told Sportsmail last week that they are the 'ideal' place for Pellistri to kick-start his career in Europe.
'We have full confidence in him and this is why we really fought to get him in on loan,' Troconiz said .
'We really think he can contribute a lot to us.
'We are fully aware he is a young player and he is beginning his European career and he will need to improve.
'But we think we are an ideal team for him to improve with because Alaves is a small club and I think this could favour his improvement.
'We are convinced that he is going to help us have a magnificent second part of the season.'
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