The Football Association is monitoring the development of Manchester United youngster Axel Tuanzebe after being made aware of the Congolese teenager’s eligibility to play for England.

Tuanzebe, 18, has made the breakthrough into Louis van Gaal’s first-team squad this season after being an unused substitute in the Premier League and Champions League. His first appearance in Van Gaal’s squad came as a 17-year-old for the 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace in October.

The centre-half, who captained United’s Under-18 team last season despite being a first-year scholar at the club’s academy, received the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award at Old Trafford last season, to follow previous winners such as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Danny Welbeck, after his startling progress under youth-team coach Paul McGuinness.

“It was the first time I had picked a first-year scholar as captain,” McGuinness said. “I don’t think that has happened since Gary Neville was youth-team skipper. Axel did a very good job – on and off the field.”

However, while fellow academy graduate Cameron Borthwick-Jackson was called into Aidy Boothroyd’s England Under-19 squad for last month’s friendly against Japan, Tuanzebe was not considered for selection because of the uncertainty over his international intentions.

Born in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tuanzebe moved to England with his family as a boy and grew up in Rochdale.

He has dual British nationality and is therefore eligible for all four home nations as well as the country of his birth.

FA sources insist talks have not been held with the player over his plans but have confirmed that Boothroyd and Under-21 coach Gareth Southgate are following the progress of Tuanzebe, who has been on United’s books since the age of eight.

In his profile on the club’s website, he is described as a “robust central defender” and “a natural leader”.

Van Gaal has been impressed by Tuanzebe’s maturity, and the player has become a regular in the club’s Under-21 side, despite being three years younger than many team-mates.

Tuanzebe could yet be handed his senior debut in United’s FA Cup third-round tie against League One Sheffield United next month.