Sir Alex Ferguson hopes South American youngster Angelo Henriquez will trod the same path as Tom Cleverley to stardom at Manchester United by sending him to Wigan.
The 18-year-old is earmarked as a star of the future at Old Trafford after joining the club in a £4million deal from Universidad de Chile in the summer.
Henrquez is yet to make a first-team appearance for United, but Ferguson hopes that by sending him to Wigan can help accelerate his development and help acclimatise him to the rough and tumble of the Premier League – just as it did with Cleverley.
The England midfielder, now a first-team regular at Old Trafford, spent the entire 2010-11 campaign at the DW Stadium, scoring three goals in 25 games to help the Latics stave off the threat of relegation.
Ferguson will hope Henriquez can enjoy similar success under the watchful eye of Wigan boss Roberto Martinez having blocked the teen from playing for Chile so he can finalise his loan move.
“I asked repeatedly to go (and play for Chile) and showed desire to do so. But they want me to go to Wigan and keep playing in the Premier League,” Henriquez told the Daily Mirror.
“I would never say no to Chile. It would be a serious mistake, but United are not letting me go.”
With Wigan set to lose top scorer, Arouna Kone, next month to the Africa Cup of Nations, Henriquez can expect plenty of chances at his temporary new home.
He added: “I already talked to the manager Roberto Martinez and he told me that I would have more chances. His idea is to have me as a substitute for Kone. It will then depend on me taking advantage of them.”
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