Manchester United has a reputation for constantly developing young players through their academy system; while not all of them succeed in the Premier League, many have exciting careers. Godwill Kukonki could be the next prospect to come through Carrington and make his senior debut. Rúben Amorim has already shown that he is keen on the youngster, with 16-year-old Kukonki in first-team training in preparation for Ipswich Town and now for FK Bodø/Glimt.
The most recent youngsters to establish themselves in the first team are Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, but several academy graduates have recently left the club for regular football. Álvaro Fernández and Facundo Pellistri are both key men for clubs competing in European football; Axel Tuanzebe is a starter for Premier League outfit Ipswich Town; and several other players are looking to prove themselves across Europe.
Rúben Amorim has shown at Sporting CP that he isn’t afraid to give young players an opportunity, and Manchester United’s academy has several first-team prospects in the under-21s and 18s. The most recent example of Amorim’s trust in youth is Sporting’s Geovany Quenda; the 17-year-old has already played 20 games this season in all competitions. Quenda was a right winger, but under Amorim, he was primarily deployed as a right-wing-back despite being left-footed.
The Portuguese manager could debut many exciting talents at Manchester United, with Harry Amass, Bendito Mantato and James Scanlon knocking on the first-team door. Godwill Kukonki appears to be the next name on the list, but why are fans so excited about him?
Who Is Godwill Kukonki?
Godwill Kukonki is a 2008-born English left-back for Manchester United’s under-18s. The 6’5 defender has also played as a centre-back for the Red Devils in younger age groups. This makes him perfectly suited to Rúben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation as a wide centre-back.
In Amorim’s system, the outside centre-backs have to be capable of defending in the wide channels, almost as a full-back would against the opposition’s winger. They can also overlap and underlap the wingback to help in attacking moves; this is why someone who can play as both a centre-back and a left-back is a perfect option for Rúben Amorim. His system also demands a centre-back to be composed on the ball, with the ability to progress the ball through carrying or passing. Kukonki excels in both of these elements, meaning he has both the technical ability to succeed at Manchester United as well as the physical attributes.
His incredible physicality compared to others of the same age and his defensive intelligence have led to comparisons with Everton’s Jarred Branthwaite. Since the INEOS partial takeover, Branthwaite has been a target for Manchester United, but the Red Devils have been priced out of the deal or have chosen to focus on other areas in the squad. Godwill Kukonki could save INEOS over £60 million (rumoured fee for Branthwaite) and be the young prospect that takes over the left centre-back position in Rúben Amorim’s 3-4-3 formation.
Despite being just 16, Kukonki has already become a key player for the under-18s, playing eight out of nine games in the league. The young defender has also played for the under-19s in the UEFA Youth League and appeared on the bench for Manchester United’s under-21s. Kukonki has registered two assists and scored one goal for Adam Lawrence’s under-18s and under-19s teams. He has also been crucial to United’s good defence in the under-18 Premier League, keeping five clean sheets in his eight appearances.
Should Kukonki Be Given Minutes?
While Kukonki didn’t make the bench against Ipswich Town, including him in his first matchday squad shows just how highly Amorim thinks of Godwill Kukonki. If a player had to drop out of the squad due to illness or injury, Kukonki would likely have been named on the bench despite his lack of experience for the under-18s and 21s.
In the Europa League, clubs can name a bigger squad with up to 12 players on the bench; this could see Kukonki named in the squad and perhaps even get minutes on the pitch. This would make the defender the second youngest player in the modern era to play for Manchester United—only behind Angel Gomes, who was 16 years, 263 days old when José Mourinho gave him his debut in 2017.
There is no doubt that Godwill Kukonki has the potential to be special, but it could be too soon for the young defender. While it is always exciting when a young player is involved with the first team, it is important to remember how young they are and not to mount too much pressure on a child. Kukonki is a special talent, but his development needs to be managed appropriately.
About The Author
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Callum Foy
I am Callum, find me on twitter as WanderingRed7, work with The Fanzone Pod, MUFC fan