Uruguay coach Diego Alonso has explained calling up Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri.

Pellistri, who turned 20 in December, spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan with Deportivo Alaves but has struggled for game-time recently, with the La Liga club being embroiled in a relegation battle.

“I believe a lot in the characteristics of soccer players and I also believe a lot in my soccer players. I trust a lot in the Uruguayan footballer and in what he can do," said Alonso.

“I thought that the characteristics that Pellistri has could help us a lot with the game that we want to implement. From there, I told him what I wanted from him, what I did value in him and then the one who gave the rest was him.

“He came here when he was 20 years old, he put on the starting shirt of the senior team and he played the way he played…

“That speaks much better about him than about me."