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Manchester United included academy defender Yuel Helafu in the squad for the Ireland training camp this week.
When the travelling squad for the Ireland training camp was announced, it was quickly noticed that Michael Carrick called upon a handful of academy stars to join the first team.
Among them is 17-year-old Yuel Helafu, who is yet to make his senior debut but has impressed in United’s youth ranks.
Helafu has been on Carrick’s radar since he was called up to first-team training in February, and now in the Republic of Ireland he has a golden opportunity to impress coaching staff ahead of pre-season.
Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty ImagesYuel Helafu could be handed big role in Man Utd’s pre-season
Helafu is considered a ‘diamond in the rough’ within United’s academy, and Carrick and his staff will surely be keeping a keen eye on his development over the final few weeks of the season.
If the teenage defender is able to impress, he could play a huge role in United’s 2026 pre-season plans this summer.
That is because fellow right-backs Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are expected to compete in the 2026 World Cup this summer for Portugal and Morocco.
If they progress in the competition, they will be unavailable for much of United’s pre-season planning, and that provides a golden opportunity for Helafu to claim the right-back position.
Helafu could get some priceless minutes in pre-season at right-back, and it could be a foundation for him to springboard his senior United career.
What Man United fans can expect to see from Yuel Helafu
Helafu joined United in 2025 after impressing coaches playing for his grassroots side against United’s development team.
The athletic right-back has been shining in the Under-18s and Under-21s during his first full season at Carrington.
Helafu has been impressing as an inverted full-back, as he has the technical ability to step into midfield and be confident in possession.
His two-footedness means he can play both full-backs, although he has spent most of the season on the right flank.
The young defender has been compared to United first-team star Noussair Mazraoui for being more silky than explosive. What he lacks in pace and power, he makes up for with his technique.
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