Timothy Fosu-Mensah is determined to remain at Manchester United and help the Premier League club through their injury woes.
Jose Mourinho has bemoaned United’s preparations for the 2018-19 season which starts against Leicester City on August 10, with the likes of Chris Smalling, Antonio Valencia, Marcos Rojo, Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw and Eric Bailly nursing injuries.
The World Cup has also deprived Mourinho of Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones and Ashley Young, and resting stars Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, Jesse Lingard, Marcus Rashford and Marouane Fellaini.
Fosu-Mensah spent last season on loan at Crystal Palace but the versatile 20-year-old Dutchman wants to stay in Manchester.
“I came back to show that I’ve improved and to show that I’m a better player now. I’ll keep working hard and see what happens.
“I can play right-back, right wing-back, centre-back, in midfield. For me, it’s possible. I’ve played centre-back and right wing-back [on the tour] so for me it’s not a problem. I wouldn’t say in goal — in goal I would be very bad.”
Fosu-Mensah had featured on the club’s pre-season tour of the United States, where Mourinho’s men suffered a 4-1 International Champions Cup loss to Liverpool on Saturday.
The three-time Netherlands international helped form an inexperienced defence alongside Axel Tuanzebe, Matteo Darmian and Bailly in Michigan.
“I have to take it day to day,” Fosu-Mensah said. “I’ll keep working hard and if the manager needs me I’ll be ready.
“The tour has been good. We’ve played against quality opponents. We tried to train how we want to play so I think it has been really good for us.
“I’m focused on my training sessions and on the games. The next game is Real Madrid and we have to focus on that now.
“It’s very nice to play against a good club, against good players. Some of the best in the world. It’s good to have that test and we’re focused on that.”
Xherdan Shaqiri scored an exquisite overhead kick as Liverpool thrashed Manchester United 4-1 in the International Champions Cup in front of 101,254 fans in Ann Arbor.
Jose Mourinho named a starting XI including five players who did not feature in the Premier League for United last season, while Liverpool fielded a strong side featuring Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
Jurgen Klopp’s team took the lead on 26 minutes when Mane stroked home from the penalty spot after Salah was brought down by Demetri Mitchell.
But their advantage did not last long as United levelled through Andreas Pereira’s superb free-kick from 25 yards.
Liverpool substitute Daniel Sturridge continued his impressive pre-season form when he scored with his first touch after 66 minutes before Sheyi Ojo added his side’s second spot-kick of the game six minutes later.
Shaqiri, who arrived for £13m from Stoke City earlier this summer, then added gloss to Liverpool’s win by firing home Ben Woodburn’s cross in acrobatic fashion.