Mame Biram Diouf is poised to make his Manchester United debut next month after the Senegal international forward was granted a work permit. Alex Ferguson signed the 22-year-old from Norwegian side Molde in the summer before allowing him to return to the club on loan.

With 16 goals in 29 matches for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s former club this season, Diouf certainly offers Ferguson an option in attack where goals have been hard to come by of late.

Diouf is unavailable for the FA Cup third-round tie with Leeds at Old Trafford on January 3rd, but Ferguson feels he has a promising future ahead of him.

“If you’re talking about value then you can look at our young boy Diouf,” he said recently. “He’s been training with us and is looking very exciting.

“That’s the kind of situation we’re good at, finding young players who can develop at the club, and at 22 years of age he’s looking very good.”