Mason Greenwood is the brightest rising star in the Premier League, according to Gary Neville, who insists the Manchester United striker ‘can be anything he wants to be’.

Since signing his first professional contract with the Red Devils in October 2018, Greenwood has established himself as a key member of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad.

The Norwegian boss placed his trust in the 18-year-old to serve as one of his first-choice frontmen alongside Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, after offloading Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to Inter last summer.

Greenwood has repaid his manager’s faith by netting 14 goals in 38 outings across all competitions this season, and despite most of those efforts coming from the substitutes bench, he has earned widespread praise for his ruthlessness and composure in the final third.

The teenager has already been tipped for a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad, while also being likened to former United striker Robin van Persie, who almost single-handedly fired the club to their last Premier League crown in 2012-13.

Neville has described Greenwood as the ‘real deal’, and sees no reason why he can’t reach the very highest level of the game if he continues on his current trajectory.

When asked to name the most promising rising talent in the top flight, the ex-United defender told Sky Sports: ‘I would say Mason Greenwood. He can be anything he wants to be.

‘He just looks like he’s got such great composure and quality. He’s great physically as well.

‘If he continues to emerge like he’s shown at times this season I think Manchester United have got the real deal there.’

Former Tottenham and Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp added: ‘I remember talking to Nicky Butt about eight months ago and he said Mason Greenwood was the best young player he’s ever seen at Manchester United.

‘That is some statement considering all the players they’ve produced, like the Class of ’92. There’s nothing he can’t achieve with his pace and power.’

Greenwood had helped United embark on an 11-match unbeaten run before the current campaign was called to a temporary halt amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The Red Devils sit fifth in the Premier League standings after 29 fixtures, three points behind Chelsea in the race for the final Champions League spot, having also reached the latter stages of both the FA Cup and Europa League.