Manchester United are 'very confident' they can keep Anthony Elanga at Old Trafford for a long time as they see him as a 'project', journalist Dean Jones has informed GIVEMESPORT.
The 20-year-old attracted plenty of interest during the January transfer window and speculation over his future has grown in recent months.
Man Utd Transfer News - Anthony Elanga
On deadline day, ESPN reported that La Liga giants Barcelona were keen on prizing away Elanga on a loan basis as Xavi looked to bolster their squad for the remainder of the campaign.
The Catalans sold Memphis Depay to Atletico Madrid while also harbouring an injured Ousmane Dembele, promoting discussions within their hierarchy over whether they should target another forward late on.
Borussia Dortmund, Everton and PSV Eindhoven had also registered their interest in the Sweden international across the month.
Nevertheless, The Daily Mail let slip further on in the day that Elanga would be staying at Old Trafford for the rest of this term alongside fellow attacker Facundo Pellestri.
What has Dean Jones said about Anthony Elanga?
Dean Jones believes that Elanga could remain at Manchester United for some time to come and has detailed that the club have a plan to maximise his potential.
Jones told GMS: "I find it difficult to see them letting go of Elanga, he's a bit of a project at Man United and they are very confident that if they can draw up a plan that he can follow closely, then he can still fulfil all his hopes and dreams at Man United."
Will Anthony Elanga succeed at Manchester United?
Given his age and raw talent, there are still plenty of signs that point towards the £23m-rated Elanga (via Transfermarkt) being another success story to come out of Carrington.
It does go under the radar that the 20-year-old has nearly made 50 appearances for the club, with 49 outings in total so far, registering four goals and four assists, as per Transfermarkt.
Earning £43,000 a week at Old Trafford, his involvement has been more fleeting this term, being mainly used as a substitute in the 20 matches he has featured in.
Erik Ten Hag, like any other manager, will value squad depth and his decision to keep the pacey winger at the club, for the time being is somewhat a vote of confidence that Elanga could still have a long-term future at Manchester United.