Manchester United forward Bendito Mantato is set to sign his first professional contract with the Old Trafford club next week, according to Academy Scoop.
The Academy Scoop is a reputable source for youth football transfer news and analysis, with specific coverage and focus on Man United’s academy, and they have claimed on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) this afternoon that the 17-year-old is held in high regard by the Red Devils, with head coach Ruben Amorim keen to hand him a first-team debut before the current campaign ends.
Exclusive: Bendito Mantato is set to sign his first professional contract for Manchester United next week.
The 17-year-old is held in high regard by the club, with Ruben Amorim keen to hand him a first-team debut before the season's end. pic.twitter.com/zNPfYplNxA
— SCOOP. (@AcademyScoop) March 28, 2025
Mantato has been drawing comparisons to Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka since last year and has been the talk of the academy at Carrington for a while, so handing him a professional deal would not come as a surprise to those who know the teenage sensation.
The English forward can play on both wings and also as a right-back and left-back, and Amorim could look to turn him into one of the best wing-backs in the Premier League.
Mantato joined Man United when he was nine, making his under-18s debut at 14, and he has played regularly for the under-21s in recent months, catching the eyes of the first-team coaches in the process.
Having snubbed plenty of interest from other Premier League teams to sign a scholarship deal with the Red Devils a year ago, the youngster is now ready to commit his future to the club by signing a professional deal, and he will be desperate to prove himself to Amorim going forward.
Mantato scored a goal and assisted another one to help Man United under-21s run out 5-2 winners against their West Bromwich Albion counterparts in the Premier League 2 earlier this month, and he looks ready for first-team opportunities.
18-year-old centre-back Ayden Heaven recently forced his way into the plans of Amorim, and the Portuguese keeps showing that he will not hesitate to field a teenager who is good enough to play at this level.