Jose Mourinho delighted after Axel Tuanzebe signs new Manchester United contract

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has said Axel Tuanzebe is a player with "great potential" and expressed his delight after the defender committed his future to the club. The teenager signed a contract extension on 2 February and the new deal will keep him at Old Trafford until 2020, with an option to further extend it by a year.

The 19-year-old has been leading the Red Devils' reserve team and after impressing there, he has been promoted to the first team by the former Real Madrid and Chelsea manager. Tuanzebe made his first team debut when he came from the bench in United's 4-0 FA Cup win over Wigan Athletic.

Tuanzebe, who put pen to paper, has impressed Mourinho with his cameo against the Championship side. The United manager wants to hand the teenager more first-team experience as he remains confident about the player's potential.

"Axel is a young player with great potential. We brought him up to the first team to give him more experience and he has adapted really well. I am pleased that he has signed a new contract and I am delighted with the progress he is making," Mourinho told United's official website.

Meanwhile, United's head of academy and interim reserves coach Nicky Butt has hailed Tuanzebe after he made his first team debut in January. Despite having top quality players at Old Trafford, the Red Devils' tradition of handing homegrown players a chance in the first team has impressed the former midfielder.

"It's amazing really when you think one of the biggest, probably the biggest club in the world, still gives youngsters platforms. It shows that if you're good enough, you'll get your chance no matter who the manager brings in," Butt told United's official website.

"Whether it's a world-record transfer like Paul Pogba or a superstar like Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought in, there is always room for young players at this club if you're good enough."