Ian Wright was stunned by the rise of Mason Greenwood from Manchester United academy graduate to fully-fledged Premier League forward.
Speaking on Wrighty’s House podcast, the former Arsenal attacker aired his amazement at Greenwood’s ascendency in the past few seasons.
Despite still officially a teenager for another month, the United youngster has matured in footballing terms way beyond what his birth certificate suggests.
Two years have flown by since he made his competitive first-team debut, under the watchful eye of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
In that period, Greenwood has accumulated 108 games, 32 goals and ten assists, quite a remarkable return for a player of such relative inexperience.
His campaign has begun in similarly startling fashion, scoring in all three of United’s opening league fixtures.
He is the only the second teen to manage this in the reformed top-flight history, alongside Robbie Fowler back in 1994.
Golden boy Greenwood
It’s difficult to find any more superlatives to laud the Red Devil starlet, but Wright certainly had a good go at it.
“For him (Greenwood) to come onto the scene like he has, with the striker nous he already has, it’s phenomenal, it’s frightening,” he said.
“If he wasn’t in England, like how they bought (Jadon) Sancho, he would already have a £100m buyout clause on him.
“If he can get anywhere near his potential, then England, Man United, it’s going to be nectar.
“If he is somebody that gets down the centre, in the centre, in the middle of the goal, get his heading going, getting to the near post, tap-ins in the box, then we are talking about a multiple Golden Boot winner.”
Greenwood is already heavily in the hunt to claim the top scorer prize and few will be able to stop him if his form continues.
Only Michael Owen will have claimed the award at a more fledging age, not that should be of any distraction to United’s no.11.
But can he replicate his domestic prowess on the international stage?
For now, the option is out of Greenwood’s hands, as Gareth Southgate overlooked him for England’s 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Of course, the 19-year-old should have his eyes on Qatar next summer.
At the moment, however, he can concentrate on firing United back to league glory.
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