Michael Owen has claimed that Anthony Elanga is not world class and will do very well to ever compare to Ryan Giggs or Wayne Rooney.
Despite his fantastic impact in Manchester United’s Champions League draw against Atletico Madrid, Owen believes he it will take a lot for him to reach club legend level, comparing him to the likes of Giggs and Rooney.
“If I saw him playing for any other team I’d say, yeah, this kid’s got something and he’s going to be a good player. But when I see them coming through Manchester United they have to be special, special. They have to be world class,” The Sun reports, quoting comments made by Michael Owen on BT Sport.
Elanga has only recently developed into a first team player and to expect someone so young to be world class already is a little farfetched. Putting pressure on a young player to be reaching the levels of United legends can be damaging and doesn’t mean they can’t be a key figure in the squad.
With many United players underperforming this season, Elanga has shown what fight and determination can bring to a squad who isn’t reaching the standards expected of them. The Swedish youth international may not have all the ingredients to be world class as of yet, but he’s proving himself to be a useful squad player with huge potential.