Manchester United appear keen to boast the country’s best youth talent once again, with the Red Devils on the brink of completing a triple signing from their two biggest rivals.
The club is reportedly putting the finishing touches on an agreement for Liverpool’s 16-year-old attacker Isaac Konde, in addition to signing Manchester City pair David Eze and Karim Cassim, according to the BBC.
Konde, 16, made six appearances for Liverpool’s Under-18 squad last term and is said to be known for his speed and ball control. It is expected he will be integrated into Darren Fletcher’s Under-18 setup upon arrival.
Man United poach three players from Liverpool and Manchester City
Across town, Man United’s pursuit of City duo Eze and Cassim is reportedly close to reaching a conclusion.
Both 16-year-olds are nominally central midfielders and have been on their soon-to-be employer’s radar for some time, as per the BBC’s Simon Stone.
The club are clearly making a concerted effort to steal away top-rated talent from Premier League rivals having previously secured striker Chido Obi and defender Ayden Heaven from Arsenal.
In both cases, the ex-Gunners quickly made their first-team debuts with Heaven now considered a senior option under Michael Carrick.
Man United have historically been regarded as a club with rich academy history and a consistent pathway to first-team opportunities.
The revered ‘Class of 92’ are the preeminent example of this with several members of that FA Youth Cup-winning side going on to play central roles under Sir Alex Ferguson in the decades that followed.
Manchester United retain one of the most remarkable records in world sport, having had at least one homegrown academy graduate included in every single first-team matchday squad for over 88 years.