England youth international Mason Cotcher on trial at Manchester United – Man United News And Transfer News

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Manchester United u18s featured an unfamiliar face on Saturday as Mason Cotcher joined the club on trial.

The 17-year-old featured off the bench in the u18s’ convincing 4-0 win over Leeds United.

Formerly with Sunderland, Cotcher left the northeast club in the summer and has been trialling with a number of clubs.

The forward has already spent time with Arsenal and Rangers this season, the former of which he trained amongst the first team squad according to The Telegraph after “Mikel Arteta invited him for sessions with his senior players last week.”

They reported that “Rangers are also interested in signing the 17-year-old and moving “cross-border” to Scotland would be for much lower compensation than to an English team.”

Cotcher featured for Arsenal’s u18s earlier in the season but is now at Carrington where he came off the bench for half an hour on Saturday morning.

Finding the net during his trial debut with Arsenal, Cotcher couldn’t quite replicate the feat in the red of United.

After having one shot blocked after coming on, he came close again when his shot from the right side of the box came off the keeper’s leg and flashed across the face of the goal and wide.

Normally a striker, Cotcher can also play wide which is where he featured off the bench for United on the left wing.

An England youth international, Cotcher was capped at the u17s level last year and now looks to be taking his time in finding the right club for his next stage of development.

After the loan departure of Joe Hugill, a space has opened up in United’s u21s which has currently been filled by Ethan Wheatley stepping up from the u18s.

But whether Cotcher would slot into the u18s or u21s immediately, if he can impress during his trial he may favour the move to Manchester considering the dearth of striker options at Erik ten Hag’s disposal which gives him a clear path to forcing his way into the first team.