Yuel Ghebreyesus Helafu (born 2 September 2008 in Leeds, England) is a youth defender currently playing for Manchester United’s Under-18s. He normally plays at right-back but is also capable of filling in at left-back when required. Helafu joined the Manchester United U18 squad at the start of the 2025-26 season.
He has Eritrean heritage alongside his English citizenship. Although young, he has already begun making waves – he has trained with the first-team squad, showing that the club sees promise and potential in his development. His performances at youth level, including tournaments such as SuperCupNI, have marked him out as one of the more exciting defenders in his age group.
Helafu combines defensive awareness with attacking support from full-back, demonstrating pace and willingness to engage in forward play. As he continues to grow physically and tactically, his progression will likely depend on consistent match minutes, adapting to the demands of senior-level play, and maintaining performance against older opposition.
