Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has lavished praise on Anthony Elanga after including the attacker in his squad for Thursday's Europa League clash with Granada.

The 18-year-old has travelled with the Red Devils to Spain and will be on the bench for the European quarter-final first leg against Diego Martinez's side.

Elanga signed a new contract with the 20-time English champions last month, and the Man United manager has hinted that the attacker will be a part of his long-term plans at the club.

"Anthony will be in the squad, he'll be on the bench," Solskjaer told reporters. "He has impressed when he has been in training with us. He was very unlucky two or three months back when he got a bad injury and he's worked really hard to come back, because he was just due to move into the first-team squad back then.

"He's got an X factor, some attributes, it's not like a gift, but he's got the acceleration, pace, speed, that's a given for wingers and he's got qualities I like.

"He's a goalscoring winger, he's confident, he likes to beat men, right foot, left foot, he's got a great attitude. His appetite and hunger to improve and when he's been training with us the while he's been here now he's not been fazed by it, he's confident. He's not just there for experience, he's ready to play a part if he has to."

Elanga has scored eight times and registered four assists in 25 outings for Manchester United Under-23s.