Who is Ethan Laird? Man Utd youngster set to travel to Partizan Belgrade

Manchester United have included youngster Ethan Laird in their first team training squad before the trip to Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League this week.

The 18-year-old is highly rated at Old Trafford and joins the likes of Brandon Williams, James Garner, Matej Kovar and Mason Greenwood in being promoted by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of late.

But who is Laird, how good is he and what can fans expect from him?

We profiled him here...

Full name: Ethan Laird

Date of birth: August 5, 2001

Place of birth: Basingstoke, England

Position: Right back

Club career

Pacey full-back Laird first joined the academy as a nine-year-old and has risen steadily through the club's system.

Laird has represented England at age group level, usually in his favoured right-back berth. His versatility has made him a popular figure among youth coaches with Laird also capable of performing at centre-back when required.

The 18-year-old has continued his development this season and was a key figure for United's Under-18s last season, often winning a place in the Under-23s too.

Laird signed his first professional contract with the club in October 2018, though his progress was hampered in August when he suffered an injury in an Under-23s clash with Reading. He made his return on Monday when the Under-23s beat Swansea 4-1.

Laird has been earmarked for a big future at United and now trains with the senior side intermittently.

International career

Laird has played for England's Under-17s and Under-18s teams in recent years.

He's scored twice in seven appearances for the Under-18s after making his debut more than a year ago (September 2018).

For club and country, he's played across the back line, though prefers the right-back postiion.

What Solskjaer thinks of Laird

"We have quite a few talents in that youth team that you'd like to see and you probably will see at some point before next season," Solskjaer said last season.

"Because that's what it's about now, for me to put the club and put the team in a good position when at the end of the season, how do we look like, what will we look like next season.

"Mason, Jimmy Garner, Ethan [Laird], there's quite a few in that reserve team that are doing well, it's just about the right time.

"What Man United are going to look like next season with or without me, it doesn't really matter because I'm here now as part of that to prepare the team for next season. That of course means doing well now."

What Laird said about Solskjaer's comments

“It was very nice of him and a privilege, to be honest, that he knows my name,” Laird told United's official website.

“I've just got to prove to him I'm good enough to be in his team. I've seen it with Mason [Greenwood], James [Garner], Angel [Gomes] and Tahith [Chong], some of the starlets of the group, getting their chance and it's promising. Very promising.”