Nigeria-eligible teenager Shola Shoretire promoted to Man United first team ahead of Atletico friendly

NIGERIA-eligible midfielder Shola Shoretire has been named in the Manchester United first team ahead of its impending trip to the Norwegian capital Oslo where the side with face Spanish giants Atletico Madrid in a pre-season friendly.

In February last year, Shoretire made history by becoming the youngest ever Manchester United player to feature in a European match when he featured against Real Sociedad in the Europa Cup. At the age of just 17 years and 23 days old, he broke a 38-year record set by Norman Whiteside, who was 108 days older than him when he made his United debut in the Uefa Cup against Valencia on September 15, 1982.

On February 8 last year, Shoretire signed his first professional contract with Manchester United on before being named in the senior squad 10 days later. Now, 18, the youngster born on February 2, 2004 in Newcastle, to a Nigerian father and English mother, is currently the highest paid footballer on the books of Adidas for players between the age of 17 and 2.

Yesterday, Manchester United head coach Erik ten Hag, promoted Shoretire to first team ahead of the Oslo trip. Official pictures published on the club's website show the England U19 international of Nigerian descent participating in training at the Carrington Training Ground.

Coach ten Hag invited Shoretire and some other academy youngsters to make up the numbers as several first team players including summer signings Christian Eriksen and Lisandro Martinez were unavailable. Shoretire trained with Man United's first team pre-season, only to be left out of the squad that visited Thailand and Australia with the club explaining that he was not included on the roster because a loan move was on the cards.

Shoretire could end up playing for the Super Eagles at international level after his father Alexander Oluwole Shoretire revealed that he has begun making moves to ensure his son features for Nigeria. Manchester businessman, Mr Shoretire Snr, has revealed that he wants the Nigeria Football Federation to invite his son to the Super Eagles as quickly as possible.