(Football news) The centre-back has recently been promoted to first-team training sessions at the club under new head coach Ruben Amorim, who is said to have been hugely impressed by the youngster.
The 6ft 5in defender has featured on 10 occasions for Manchester United at Under-18s and Under-23s level this term, including nine appearances in the Under-18s Premier League, scoring once.
Kukonki is a left-footed defender, making him vital for Manchester United at this moment in time, as Lisandro Martinez is suspended for Wednesday’s clash against Arsenal, while Luke Shaw has picked up another injury.
The teenager was pictured travelling down to London with the Manchester United squad on Tuesday, and according to multiple sources around Manchester, he will be in the matchday squad against Arsenal.
Kukonki could make Manchester United debut against Arsenal
Noussair Mazraoui was not pictured travelling to London, suggesting that the Morocco international may not be available against Arsenal, although that remains unconfirmed at this stage.
Shaw and Martinez are definitely out, though, and the same can also be said for Victor Lindelof, who is missing with the groin issue that he suffered while representing Sweden during the recent international break.
Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro are both now available, though, and it is likely that one of those will start, while Matthijs de Ligt is a certainty at the back for Manchester United.
Kobbie Mainoo is another notable absentee from the squad, with the Englishman, who has only just recovered from a muscular problem, suspended due to the milestone yellow card that he picked up against Everton.
Will Yoro start against Arsenal?
Yoro is in line to make his competitive debut for Manchester United against Arsenal, with the 19-year-old working his way back to fitness this month after missing the early stages of the campaign with a fractured metatarsal.
“I felt he’s in a good moment now, his fitness is better, so I think he is going to be in the squad,” Amorim told reporters during his pre-match press conference when asked about the Frenchman.
“We didn’t have too many trainings together. He’s training not alone but with a small group of players. He’s really fast but he’s a modern defender and that is good when you want to press high. I think he is a special talent but we have to be careful in this first moment.
“You have a lot of strikers, especially in this league, one against one. I think he can manage that. He’s very good with the ball so I’m really excited but we have to be careful. We have to manage the load and the minutes in the beginning but I’m really excited to see Leny Yoro playing.”
Manchester United are unbeaten in their last seven matches in all competitions, and they currently sit ninth in the Premier League table, just four points behind fourth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.
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