FAST WORKER
MANCHESTER UNITED starlet Mason Greenwood was born to play football.
The forward's epic rise continued last weekend, as the 18-year-old from Wibsey, Bradford rescued the Red Devils with an equaliser against a resurgent Everton side.
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Incredibly, it was his seventh goal of the season in just 19 games as the wonderkid continues to frighten experienced defenders with his pace and nous in front of goal.
But Greenwood has always known how to find the back of the net.
At the age of just six, he scored 16 goals on his debut for Idle Juniors, which earned the young boy a mention in the local newspaper.
Immediately, Mason was scouted to train at a Manchester United development centre in Halifax, where he impressed his coaches with a natural talent for the game, as well as an ability to use both feet.
A NATURAL TALENT
"When Mason Greenwood came in at six, he could use both feet equally as strong,” Mark Senior, an academy coach with United for nine years, told MEN Sport.
“He was absolutely rapid. As soon as you showed him a little trick or anything he would just do it straight away.
“We started really advancing him and as soon as you’d show him a new move or skill, within 30 seconds to a minute he’d be doing it already.
“He turned up at the Halifax development centre with Manchester United and he used to get there about 20 minutes early because he went there from school.
"And he used to just be hitting the ball at this bin outside the door. He’d be using both feet."
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A VAN PERSIE CLONE
Since bursting onto the scene at Old Trafford, Greenwood has signed a contract that'll tie him to the club till 2023, is driving a brand new Mercedes, and has scored a glamorous Wag, who he shares snaps with on social media.
On the pitch, he has been praised for his technique and compared to Robin Van Persie.
The retired Dutch legend has even noticed the comparison himself.
"I think he will be very good because during every game he tries to copy me," Van Persie said recently on an Instagram Q and A.
"My style, my technique, my left foot, my way of finishing… so, I’m sure he will end up well."
HE SHATTERED A U13 GB SPRINT RECORD
Senior recognised Greenwood's prowess in front of goal from an early age too.
“We used to do little shooting games in which you would try to create a little bit of space and get a shot off but we’d go in net because we didn’t have goalkeepers in the development centres," he said.
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"Me and the other coach Gabriel would go in net and you could feel it when Mason hit it.
“Most kids at seven years of age, you would let it in to give them a bit of confidence.
"But Mason would smash it in the bottom corner and if he did hit it at you you’d know about it. It was like a 13-year-old hitting it.
“People says he’s like the new Van Persie but I don’t know.
"I think he’s his own man. I’ve not seen another player like him. His style means his pace is deceptive because he is absolutely rapid.
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“I think he turned up at a Great Britain under-13 100m sprint race and broke the Great Britain record.
"All the athletics people were after him at one point. Athletically he’s unbelievable.”
SUPER-SUB
On the pitch, Greenwood plays with an air of belief that makes you believe he can have an instant impact.
That's why United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has turned to him in his hour of need when the Premier League giants have needed a goal.
Before his cameo against Everton, Greenwood led the United fightback in a remarkable game against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.
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His form has had the Norwegian calling the prodigy the best finisher at the club, and he's making it hard for Solskjaer to leave the striker out of the starting eleven.
NOT LACKING IN BELIEF
Senior believes Greenwood has a promising future ahead of him because of his confident attitude and love of playing.
“Mason always conducted himself very well but also had not an arrogance but a confidence about him,” he said.
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“You need it. You could always tell with Mason that he would get to where he wanted to go.
“We never did man-of-the-match awards because you lose all intrinsic motivation from it.
"Does Mason have the right sort of attitude? He will have because he never had that trophy for just playing on a Sunday morning.
"They didn’t need it, all they needed was to play the game."
Man United striker, Mason Greenwood’s family have been offered ‘life changing’ sums of money to quit Old Trafford