Timothy Fosu-Mensah is hoping he has done enough to earn an “extra special” reunion with former club Ajax in the Europa League final.
The Dutchman, 19, was challenged by manager Jose Mourinho to prove his fitness against Crystal Palace on Sunday to be in with a chance of making the squad in Stockholm.
Fosu-Mensah missed six games after suffering a shoulder injury against Manchester City on April 27 but came through 90 minutes unscathed against Palace.
And after spending eight years in Ajax’s youth setup before moving to Old Trafford in 2014, the defender faces a nervous wait to discover whether he has done enough to be in Mourinho’s final 18 in Sweden.
“I feel good,” Fosu-Mensah said. “The staff, the doctors, the physios, the assistants, the manager, everybody helped me to get back. I”m happy I got 90 minutes and I thank the manager for giving me 90 minutes.
“I felt good, I played 90 minutes and I didn’t have any problems. So I hope. I hope I’m in the squad against Ajax. It’s my old team.
“It’s a nice game, a Europa League final. It’s a big game and as a football player you want to be involved in big games like this and that’s what my focus is on.
“I played there for eight years so it’s definitely extra special. I know a couple of players there and I speak to them. We have spoken, but not about the game.”
The final offers the chance for United to win the only trophy not on their roll of honour and a place in next season’s Champions League.
Fosu-Mensah added: “This is Manchester United and it’s a big club. We play for trophies.
“We have to win this trophy and it’s important for next season to be in the Champions League. It all comes from one place and the only answer for this is winning. It’s simple.”
Fosu-Mensah’s appearance in the final Premier League game of the season was
his 11th game of the campaign.
He has had to be patient, starting just four games under Mourinho — the same number he managed in the final three months of Louis van Gaal’s reign alone.
But the Netherlands under-21 international insists he has still learned a lot, especially from senior players like Michael Carrick, Ashley Young and Wayne Rooney.
“I’m still young and I’m still learning,” he said.
“Every day the players are speaking to me — Michael, Ash, Wayne — the more senior players, they speak to me and they’re helping me. It’s been a good learning season for me and I’ve learnt a lot.”
Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
