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"Aaron Wan-Bissaka used to torture Zaha!" | Damien Delaney on Manchester United defender

Damien Delaney's future might not be in scouting, saying that the first time he saw Aaron Wan-Bis...



Soccer

"Aaron Wan-Bissaka used to torture Zaha!" | Damien Delaney on Manchester United defender

Damien Delaney's future might not be in scouting, saying that the first time he saw Aaron Wan-Bissaka he thought: "This guy is not going to be a professional football player."

Delaney spoke to The Football Show about the time when he was seconded to Crystal Palace's under-18s team following an argument with then-manager Frank De Boer.

It was here that he came across Wan-Bissaka, then playing as a right-winger for the side.

"I thought: 'There is no way that this guy is not going to be a professional football player!'

"It was only later in the season that he got brought in to right-back, where he has since gone on," said Delaney of the £50m Wan-Bissaka.

Wan-Bissaka, two Bissaka

Delaney explained the lucky circumstances by which the Londoner's career really took off.

"There was an eleven against eleven one day in training, and the reserves were short a couple of players. They went over to the under-18s and brought over a couple, including Wan-Bissaka.

"They asked him to play right-back against Wilfried Zaha - and he absolutely tortured Wilfried! It was one of the 'eureka' moments where no-one had done that to him before.

"I think the coaching staff were hurrying off upstairs!"

It wasn't long before he was back involved with the Crystal Palace side.

"There was a 23s game a few days later, and he just took to right-back like a light switch went off - it was only a couple of weeks before he was training with the first team.

"We used to tease Wilfried about Azza locking him up in training, and Wilf used to get upset by it.

"Every time Wilfried would go around him, Aaron has those long legs that would just reach around him for tackles!

"He used to torture Wilfried every day in training for a year!"

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Aaron Wan-Bissaka Crystal Palace Man United Mufc Palace Wan-bissaka Zaha. Manchester United