Louis van Gaal said Adnan Januzaj has forced his way back into the team as he explained why Manchester United rejected Paris Saint-Germain's attempts to take the teenager on loan.
Manager Van Gaal believes the Belgian youngster has earned the right to play ahead of Juan Mata because of his excellence on the training field and thinks it shows he has a future at Old Trafford.
Januzaj made his first Premier League start since Nov. 8, in United's 3-1 win over Leicester on Saturday, when he impressed on the left of a midfield diamond.
But, when he was not in the team, French champions PSG attempted to borrow him for the second half of the season while Real Sociedad, under former United manager David Moyes, were also interested.
Van Gaal said: "I look at players every day, I observe and I communicate with my players what I want. At the moment I think 'okay, he is now ready to play' then maybe I can let them play.
"Like Januzaj. I have to compare him with Mata because the next press conference you shall ask 'Why? Why? Mata is not playing?' I have to choose and now I choose Januzaj."
Januzaj has only started four league games this season but Van Gaal revealed he is impressed that the youngster is using his ability to secure a spot in his side.
He added: "He has a lot of talent but you have to perform that talent in the matches. And also in the training sessions. I'm not making the lineup, the players themselves are making the lineup."
Januzaj made a major impact in Moyes' sole season at Old Trafford and Van Gaal said, "I think the former manager has chosen him to play from out of the youth and he had an extension of his contract, or an improvement of his contract, so then you know that he is a Manchester United player."