Manchester United are “very close” to completing a deal for a left-back.
After being beaten by a hearty Nottingham Forest last Saturday, Red Devils sporting director Dan Ashworth left the club, in a tumultuous weekend at Old Trafford. Plans for the January transfer window have not changed, however.
With no new director expected to assume Ashworth's mantle, Manchester United are pressing ahead with business and will look to tie up a young left-back imminently.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim needs a new left-back, with his current options underwhelming
Amorim has plenty of makeshift options to field at left wing-back – but no natural fit able to slot into the role.
Tyrell Malacia and Diogo Dalot are two candidates with Antony touted for the role, too. Luke Shaw looks to be more of a centre-back in this system, as does Noussair Mazraoui, who is more suited to the right.
That's left United chasing Cerro Porteno teenager Diego Leon, with journalist Uriel Iugt writing a post on X (formerly Twitter) that a deal is advanced.
Intriguingly, Iugt's figure of $5 million is higher than the $4m quoted earlier by Paraguayan outlet D Sports, who have corroborated the story.
Leon is just 17 years old but highly rated and thought of as one for the future. The wonderkid wouldn't be able to play for the club until he turns 18 – which suggests that perhaps this is more of a development move for the under-21s and not a first-team signing.
In FourFourTwo's opinion, however, Leon may well be brought in with the intention of playing for Amorim next season. The Portuguese has developed several young talents, with Geovany Quenda, another wing-back, a fantastic example of a teen starlet given the opportunity from a young age.
Quenda, who is ranked at no.39 in FourFourTwo's list of the most exciting teenagers to watch this season, has been linked with a move to the Red Devils to play on the opposite flank to Leon.
Leon is only worth €1m, according to Transfermarkt. United take on Manchester City this weekend in the Manchester Derby when Premier League action resumes.
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