When Gareth Southgate announced his England squad for the final international break of 2021, there was plenty of discussion around centre-backs.
Questions were asked as to why the likes of out-of-form duo Harry Maguire and Tyrone Mings had been selected ahead of younger and more in-form players like Fikayo Tomori and Ben White.
Both Tomori and White have, of course, been called-up in recent times, and are very much on Southgate's radar when it comes to revitalising his backline in the coming years.
Another who fits that bill, however, has something of a lesser-known name, though Teden Mengi certainly has the talent to make it to the very top of the English game.
The Manchester United teenager actually trained with the senior England squad during the October international break after one of Southgate's centre-backs was forced to sit out a session due to illness.
Next Match
Mengi was already at St. George’s Park as part of the U20s squad, and was selected to step up for the due to being deemed the most experienced and suitable replacement to mark the likes of Harry Kane and Tammy Abraham.
"Opportunities you only dream of as a young boy," he posted on social media after one of the more memorable weeks of his career. "It’s been an honour to train with the seniors during this international break. Back to club football now with motivation on a different level!"
But who is Mengi, and what makes him a potential England defender of the future?
For those who follow United, Mengi is likely a recognisable name after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer handed him his senior debut against LASK in the Europa League in August 2020.
Ever since that week the 19-year-old has been around the first team, regularly training with Solskjaer's squad as he waits for his next opportunity.
Mengi has been at Old Trafford since the age of seven, and signed his first professional deal with the club in September 2019.
From an early age he was earmarked as a top prospect, and if there was any doubt as to how highly he is regarded, that was put to bed when he was rewarded with a new long-term deal in March 2021, which will keep him with the Red Devils until the summer of 2024.
Check out football's best wonderkids with NXGN:
United sources are keen not to talk up individuals from the academy so as not to not put too much pressure on them, but Mengi has consistently been praised by coaches and managers at every stage of his development. GOAL has learned that at the age of 16, he was talking with the confidence and maturity of a first-team player.
That maturity has led to Mengi being handed the captain's armband at every age group he has played at, and he can currently be found skippering United's U23s side.
That hardly comes a surprise, as whenever he is spoken about either by a team-mate or coach, one of the first words that will be mentioned to describe the Manchester-born centre-back is 'leader'.
It is an attribute that Solskjaer has already recognised in Mengi, leading the Norwegian to draw comparisons between the youngster and one of the most expensive defenders in the history of the game.
"We always had that in the back of our minds, that our academy will provide players, and Teden has definitely impressed me,” Solskjaer told BBC Sport in 2020.
"It’s different trusting defenders on the big stage, of course it is. You’ve got to make sure he’s ready for it. You see examples of Ajax, who play in a different league, but Matthijs de Ligt, they made him captain when he was 18. You can see something special in them.
"Teden’s got something special in him. It’s about picking the right moment to give him a chance."
So what is it that makes Mengi stand out?
He is comfortable on the ball, oozes calmness and composure, is good in the air, strong and quick on the ground and, most importantly, he brings that maturity and leadership despite his tender years. When he has not been available for the U23s this season, his absence has been clear for all to see.
In an ideal world, though, he would be playing for Neil Wood’s side at all in 2021-22. Mengi impressed on loan at Derby County last season, making nine appearances after joining the Championship outfit on loan in the January window.
His time at Pride Park was cut short due to injury, but it is understood that manager Wayne Rooney was keen to have Mengi back at the club this season, keeping in regular contact with the teenager throughout the summer, only for a transfer ban and ongoing financial issues to scupper any deal.
“He has been fantastic for us and we’ve seen him grow with each game,” Rooney said after Mengi’s loan spell ended. The former United captain also pointed out the trust he had in the defender to be a regular starter under him, despite his young age.
A failure to secure a similar move this season has not, though, affected Mengi, who regularly trains with Solskjaer’s senior squad.
Coming up against Cristiano Ronaldo on a daily basis is certainly one way for Mengi to develop his skills, and sources say that he has coped well with moving between first team and the U23s, gaining confidence as he does while not allowing the lack of loan move or first-team opportunities frustrate him.
It is understood that a loan move in the January transfer window now looks likely, with a host of teams interested in taking Mengi on a temporary basis.
"I think for him it is just important he keeps getting game time, he keeps himself fresh and by January his pathway might change," U23s coach Wood said in a recent interview. "He might end up going out on loan, which I think would probably be the case.
"It is important he gets his confidence, he gets himself playing right and he is making himself look like a good player, like he has done with the U23s."
If Mengi can do that, and keep growing his enviable list of admirers, then a future leading the defences of both Manchester United and England may not be beyond him.
For more on the world's best young ballers, follow NXGN on Instagram and TikTok.